Martin Freeman, M.D.

Martin L. Freeman, M.D. is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School, and Director of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. He is Medical Director for Total Pancreatectomy and Islet Autotransplantation, and Director of the Advanced Pancreaticobiliary Endoscopy Fellowship. Dr. Freeman has an active Gastroenterology practice at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Dr. Freeman graduated from medical school from Columbia University, New York, New York, and completed his residency and fellowship at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Freeman’s clinical practice involves the management of complex pancreatic and biliary disease and interventional ERCP. He is actively involved in training post-graduate fellows in advanced interventional endoscopy techniques. He has produced two seminal instructional DVD's on endoscopic techniques for pancreatic and biliary therapy for the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. His research interests include various aspects of ERCP. Dr Freeman has published over 150 articles, including a multicenter study on ERCP complications of which he was principal author, and was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1996; he also coauthored the guidelines for management of acute pancreatitis for the American College of Gastroenterology, published in 2006, Dr. Freeman has worked actively in the areas of pancreatic stent placement for prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis, as has developed a new type of stent which is widely used around the USA and other parts of the world. Other research areas include drainage of malignant hilar obstruction and treatment of Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction Major directions of his clinical interests and research at present include management of severe acute pancreatitis, recurrent acute pancreatitis, pancreaticobiliary cancers, and diagnosis and management of chronic pancreatitis. He is medical director of the program for total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation, a novel treatment developed at the University of Minnesota which is revolutionizing management of chronic pancreatitis. He is a councilor of the American Pancreatic Association, whose headquarters are at the University of Minnesota. He is co-chair of an upcoming first international consensus conference on intervention for pancreatic necrosis, sponsored by the American Pancreatic Association. 

Selected References for Which Dr. Freeman has been Principal Author:

1. Freeman ML, Nelson DB, Sherman S, Haber GB, Herman ME, et al. Complications of endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy. N Engl J Med. 1996;335:909-918.
2. Wright BE, Cass OW, Freeman ML. ERCP in patients with long-limb Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy and intact papilla. Gastrointest Endosc. 2002;56:225-32.
3. Freeman ML, Overby CS. Selective MRCP and CT-targeted drainage of malignant hilar biliary obstruction using self-expanding metallic stents. Gastrointest Endosc. 2003;58:41-9.
4. Guda NM, PartingtonS, Freeman ML. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in the management of chronic calcific pancreatitis: A meta-analysis. Journal of the Pancreas 2005 Jan;6:6-12.
5. Freeman ML, Guda NL. Cannulation techniques for ERCP: a review of reported techniques. Gastrointest Endosc 2005;61:112-25
6. Banks P, Freeman ML. Guidelines for management of acute pancreatitis. Am J Gastroenterol 2006;101:2379–2400
7. Freeman ML, Gill M, Overby C, Cen Y. Predictors of outcomes after biliary and pancreatic sphincterotomy for sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. J Clin Gastroentero. 2007;41:94-102
8. Freeman ML. Pancreatic stents for prevention of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007;5:1354-65
9. Perdue DG, Freeman ML, Disario JA, Nelson DB, Fennerty MB, Lee JG, Overby CS, Ryan ME, Bochna GS, Snady HW, Moore JP; the ERCP Outcome Study (ERCOST) group. Plastic versus self-expanding metallic stents for malignant hilar biliary obstruction: a prospective multicenter observational cohort study. 2008;42:1040-6.
10. Gupta K, Freeman ML. Enteral and colonic self-expanding metallic stents. Rev Gastroenterol Disord. 2008;8:83-97
11. Bourke MJ, Costamagna G, Freeman ML. Biliary cannulation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: core technique and recent innovations  Endoscopy. 2009;41:612-7
12. Kinney TP, Freeman ML. Pancreatic imaging: current state of the art. Gastroenterology. 2009;136:776-9
13. Kinney TP, Li R, Gupta K, Mallery S, Hunter D, Jensen E, Vickers S, Freeman ML. Therapeutic pancreatic endoscopy after Whipple resection requires rendezvous access Endoscopy. 2009;41:898-901
14. Safdar K, Atiq M, Stewart C, Freeman ML. Biliary tract complications after liver transplantation. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2009;3:183-195
15. Attam R, Freeman ML. Endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation for large common bile duct stones. J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg. 2009;16:618-23