Jeffrey Frank MD

NeuroCritical Care Program

Jeffrey Frank MD Fernando Goldenberg MD Program Overview Neurosciences Critical Care NeuroCritical Care Research Stroke / Cerebrovascular Disease

Jeffrey Frank MDEducation & Training

  • MD, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, IL Internship, Internal Medicine, Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, IL
  • Residency, Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
  • Fellowship, Neurocritical Care, Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
  • Board Certified, Neurology and Vascular Neurology, Neurocritical Care and Vascular Neurology



Clinical & Research Interests

Dr. Jeffrey Frank, Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery, is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of neurocritical care and vascular neurology. A respected clinical scholar, he has trained scores of physicians from all over the world. Dr Frank came to the University of Chicago in 1999 where he has built one of the most reputable neurocritical care programs in the country. Dr. Frank’s is considered one of the foremost experts on the management of life-threatening brain-swelling after stroke, and he was the lead Principal Investigator for a NINDS sponsored multi-center, international clinical trial (HeADDFIRST) to determine the efficacy of surgical decompression for brain swelling after stroke for which the University of Chicago was the coordinating center. The results of that trial led to pivotal insights into selection of stroke patients who may benefit from this life-saving procedure and the optimal medical and surgical techniques to improve outcome. In addition, Dr. Frank has active research programs that focus on:

  • mechanisms of brain swelling from acute liver failure
  • new techniques to establish regional brain hypothermia
  • technological innovations for better in-field detection of intracranial mass lesions (e.g. spontanteous and traumatic brain hemorrhage)
  • intracerebral hemorrhage
  • neurological prognostication and brain death
  • stroke systems of care and their impact on outcome

At the University of Chicago Dr. Frank has established numerous broad multi-departmental collaborative clinical and research initiatives, underscoring the breadth and strengths of the clinical and academic programs he leads. Dr Frank is an examiner for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, a Founder of the Neurocritical Care Society, the immediate past chairman of the Critical Care and Emergency Neurology Section of the American Academy of Neurology and has recently held positions as Chairman of the Early Cerebrovascular Career Committee and Member of the Leadership Committee of the Stroke Council of the American Heart Association, and Member of the Board of Directors of the Neurocritical Care Society. These national leadership positions define Dr. Frank’s stature in his field. More important than his programmatic building, educational and scholarly work, and leadership roles, Dr. Frank is known for his skills as a clinician. He receives requests to evaluate patients from all over the world with acute life-threatening neurological injury and complex cerebrovascular problems (adults and children). While he is a unique expert in these areas, he is known for his sincere interest in helping his patients (and their families) through complex illnesses with a refreshing blend of knowledge, experience, practicality, and compassion – treating every patient as if he/she is part of his family. This approach has led to formal recognition for the humanism he brings to his clinical practice and his activities as an educator and mentor.

Society Memberships

  • American Academy of Neurology
    • Critical Care and Emergency Neurology Section
    • Vascular Neurology Section
    • Ethics Section
  • American Neurology Association
  • American Heart Association Stroke Council (American Stroke Association)
  • Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
  • Neurocritical Care Society
  • Society of Critical Care Medicine
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science
  • Chicago Neurological Society

Selected Publications

  1. Zuniga GE, Frank JI, Ropper AH: Peripheral Neuropathies Associated with Sarcoidosis. Neurology 1991; 41:1558-1561.
  2. Frank JI, Ropper AH, Zuniga GE: Vasodepressor Carotid Sinus Syncope Associated with a Neck Mass. Neurology 1992; 42:1194-97.
  3. Frank JI, Ropper AH, Zuniga GE: Acute Intracranial Lesions and Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia. Arch Neurol 1992; 49:2100-03.
  4. Gebel J, Frank JI: An Unusual Case of Post Partum Stroke. J Stroke Cerebrovascular Dis. 1995; 5:235-37.
  5. Frank JI, Biller J: Respiratory Failure with Cervicomedullary Infarctions. J Stroke Cerebrovascular Dis. 1995; 5:61-65.
  6. Frank JI: Large Hemispheric Infarction, Deterioration and Intracranial Pressure. Neurology 1995; 45:1286-90.
  7. Hanna J, Frank JI: Automatic Stepping in the Pontomedullary Stage of Central Herniation. Neurology 1995; 45:985-86.
  8. Frank JI: General Considerations in the Management of Patients with Depressed Consciousness and Chronic Hepatic Insufficiency. Liver Transplant Surgery 1995; 1:1-7.
  9. Hanna JP, Frank JI, Furlan AJ, Sila CA, Secis M: Prediction of Worsening Consciousness from Edema after Hemispheric Infarction. J Stroke and Cerebrovascular Dis. 1996; 6: (1) 25-29.
  10. Hinchey JA, Furlan AJ, Frank JI, Kay R, Misch D, Hill C: Is In-Hospital Stroke Mortality an Accurate Measure of Quality of Care? The Cleveland Health Quality Choice Model. Neurology 1998; 50 (3) 619-25.
  11. Andrefsky JC, Frank JI, Chyatte D: The Ciliospinal Reflex in Pentrobarbital Coma. J Neurosurg 1999; 90: 644-46.
  12. Katzan IL, Furlan AJ, Lloyd LE, Frank JI, Harper D, Hinchey HA, Hammel J, Qu A, Sila CA: Use of Plasminogen Activator for Acute Ischemic Strokes in the Cleveland Area. The Journal of the American Medical Association 2000; 283: 1151-58.
  13. Le H, Macdonald RL, Wollmann R, Frank JI: Traumatic Aneurysm Resulting From Insertion of an Intracranial Pressure Monitor. J Neurosurg 2001; 95(4):720.
  14. Zaidat OO, Frank JI: Vertebral Artery Dissection with Amphetamine Abuse. Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases 2001 (January/February); 10(1): 27-29.
  15. Lee MC, Frank JI, Kahana M, Tonsgard JH, Frim DM: Decompressive Hemicraniectomy in a 6-Year-Old Male after Unilateral Hemispheric Stroke. Pediatric Neurosurgery 2003; 38: 181-85.
  16. Pytel P, Rezania K, Soliven B, Frank JI, Wollman R: Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculonneuropathy (CIDP) with Hypertrophic Spinal Radiculopathy Mimicking Neurofibromatosis. Acta Neuropathol 2003; 105: 185-88.
  17. Rosengart AJ, Xie Y, Johns L, Pytel P, Frank JI, Ghebremeskel AN, Kaminski MD, Nunez, L, Eastman, J, Kasza K, Fischer P, Chang F, Chien T, Hull J, Crabtree G, Poeppel R, Hafeli U: Magnetically Responsive Micro Particles for Targeted Drug and Radionuclide Delivery: A Review of Recent Progress and Future Challenges. Argonne National Laboratory Reports, 2003.
  18. Diringer MN, Bleck TP, Chang C, Collins KA, Frank JI, Gomez CR, Graffagino C, Malkoff MD, Marion D, Mirski M, Nathan B, Olvey SE, Paynor T, Vespa PM: Treatment of Fever in the Neurologic Intensive Care Unit with a Catheter-Based Heat Exchange System. Crit Care Med 2004 February; 32(2): 559-64.
  19. Baldwin ME, Macdonald RL, Huo D, Novakovic R, Goldenberg FD, Frank JI, Rosengart AJ: Early Vasospasm on Admission Angiography in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage is a Predictor for In-Hospital Complications and Poor Outcome. Stroke 2004; 35:2506-11.
  20. Rosen D, Novakovic R, Goldenberg FD, Huo D, Baldwin ME, Frank JI, Rosengart AJ, Macdonald: Racial/Ethnic Differences in Demographics, Acute Complications and Outcome in Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Large Patient Series. Journal Neurosurgery 2004 55:476.
  21. Morgenstern LB, Mayberg MR, Woodbury-Harris K, Marler JR, Diringer MN, Newell DW, DeGeorgia M, Batjer H, Hoff JT, Becker KJ, Grotta JC, Wagner KR, Quereshi AI, Mayer SA, Ogilvy CS, Zuccarello M, Rasmuissen PA, Connolly ES, Mendelow AD, Greenberg SM, Yonas H, Kidwell CS, Wechsler LP, Broderick JP, Awad IA, Keyl PM, Hanley DF, Frank JI: Priorities for Clinical Research in Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Report from a National Institute of Neurological Diseases Workshop. Stroke, Feb 2005; 36:e23-e41.
  22. Schwamm LH, Pancioli A, Acker J, Goldstein LB, Zorowitz RD, Shephard TJ, Moyer P, Gorman M, Johnston C, Duncan PW, Gorelick Ph, Frank JI, Stranne S, Smith R, Federspiel W, Horton K, Magnis E, Adams RJ: Recommendation for the Establishment of Stroke Systems of Care: Recommendations from the American Stroke Association’s Task Force on the Development of Stroke Systems. Stroke, Feb 2005; 36: 690-703.
  23. Connors III JJ, Sacks D, Furlan AJ, Selman WR, Russell EJ, Stieg PE, Hadley MN, Wojak J, Koroshetz WJ, Heros RC, Strother CM, Duckwiler GR, Durham JD, Tomsick TO, Rosenwasser RH, McDougall CG, Haughton VM, Derdeyn CP, Wechsler LR, Hudgins PA, Alberts, MJ, Raabe RD, Gomez CR, Cawley CM, Krol KL, Futrell N, Hauser RA, Frank JI. Training, Competency, and Credentialing Standards for Diagnostic Cervicocerebral, Angiography, Carotid Stenting, and Cerebrovascular Intervention. Neurology 2005; 64 (2): 190-198.
  24. Refai D, Lee MC, Goldenberg FD, Frank JI, Rosengart AJ: Decompressive Hemicraniectomy for Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis. J Neurosurgery 2005; 56(4): E872.
  25. Lo SE, Rosengart AJ, Novakovic RL, Kang UJ, Shah DN, Khan M, Dalvi A, Goldenberg FD, Macdonald RL, Frank JI: Identification and Treatment of Cervical and Oromandibular Dystonia in Acutely Brain-Injured Patients: A Pilot Study using Botulinum Toxin. Neurocritical Care 2005; 3(2): 139-145.
  26. Rosen D, Novakovic R, Goldenberg FD, Huo D, Baldwin ME, Frank JI, Rosengart AJ, Macdonald:  Racial/Ethnic Differences in Demographics, Acute Complications and Outcome in Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage:  A Large Patient Series.  Journal Neurosurgery 2005; 103 (1): 18-24
  27. Das S, Bendok BR, Novakovic R, Parkinson R, Macdonald RL, Frank JI: Return of Vision Following Trans-Arterial Coiling of a Carotid-Cavernous Sinus Fistula, Case Report. Surgical Neurology 2006; 66: 82-85.
  28. Mayer SA, Coplin WM, Chang C, Suarez J, Gress D, Diringer, Frank JI, Hemphill JC, Sung G, Smith W, Manno E, Kofke A, Lan A, Steiner T: Core Curriculum and Competencies for Advanced Training in Neurological Intensive Care. Neurocritical Care 2006; 5(2): 159-165.
  29. Mayer SA, Coplin WA, Chang C, Suarez J, Gress D, Diringer MN, Frank JI, Hemphill JC, Sung G, Smith W, Manno E, Kofke A, Lan A, Steiner T: Program Requirements for Fellowship Training in Neurological Intensive Care. Neurocritical Care 2006; 5(2): 166-171.
  30. Rosen DS, Macdonald RL, Huo D, Goldenberg FD, Novakovic RL, Frank JI, Rosengart AJ: Intraventricular Hemorrhage from Ruptured Aneurysm: Clinical Characteristics, Complications and Outcomes in a Large, Prospective, Multicenter Study Population. Journal of Neurosurgery J Neurosurgery August 2007; 107: 261-265
  31. Rosengart AJ, Huo D, Novakovic RL, Frank JI, Goldenberg FD, Macdonald RL: Worse Outcome in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Patients Treatment with Antiepiletic Drugs. Neursurgery July 2007; 107: 253-60
  32. Araullo MLC, Frank JI, Goldenberg FD, Rosengart AJ:  Transient Bilateral Finger Tremor after Brain Death. Neurology 2007; 68 (16): E22
  33. .Hussain SI, Cordero-Tumangday C, Goldenberg FD, Wollman R, Frank JI, Rosengart AJ:  Brainstem  Ischemia in Acute Hermination Syndrome.  Journal of the Neurological Sciences  May 2008; 268 (1-2); 190-192.