Jan Fridén

Jan Fridén, M.D., Ph.D is a professor of Hand Surgery at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. Professor Fridén is Chair of the Swedish National Centre for Reconstructive Upper Limb Surgery in Tetraplegia and he has been head of a muscle biomechanics laboratory for musculo- skeletal research for more than ten years. Professor Fridén has a Ph.D. in Muscle Anatomy and more than 20 years of research on muscle structure and function with a focus on experimental and clinical studies of reconstructive tendon transfer surgery. He has described the architecture of the most suitable donor muscles in many procedures together with optimal routes for the donor muscle tendons, refinements of tendon-to-tendon attachment techniques and developments of completely new strategies to reconstruct motor function in tetraplegia and peripheral nerve injuries. In summary, Professor Fridén ́s research has provided primary data that aid surgeons in their decision-making strategies in tendon transfer for reconstruction of arm and hand motions and for correction of deformities secondary to spinal cord and peripheral nerve injuries as well as in spasticity after brain injuries. In parallel with the responsibility of the scientific developments professor Fridén has also been in charge of the build-up of surgical treatment of spinal cord injured individuals with paralysis of their hand functions. This work has led to the establishment of national units with this service in Hungary, Germany, the Netherlands and, currently, in Switzerland. The work has included leadership for infrastructure development, staff training, research and effective national networks of experts with specialized knowledge for optimal treatment of hand function in spinal cord injury.