University of Gothenburg
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Jan Friden

Professor Emeritus

Department of Orthopaedics
Mail
jan.friden@orthop.gu.se

About Jan Friden

Professor Fridén has a Ph.D. in Muscle Anatomy and more than 30 years of research on muscle structure and function with a focus on experimental and clinical studies of reconstructive tendon transfer surgery. Briefly, tendon transfer procedures restore elbow and wrist extension, improve hand grip control, restore joint balance, reduce pain in spasticity and prevent joint contractures. The evolution towards more motions driven by active motors has increased the need for tools to accurately determine and set the optimal length and tension of the transferred donor muscles. Professor Fridén and his research group has demonstrated in several studies that the choice of optimal donor muscle as well as methods for determining optimal length-tension relationships should be based on a thorough understanding of the biomechanical principles during reconstructive surgery.

Professor Fridén has developed a laser-based technique that allows for intra-operative measurement of sarcomere length. To determine physiological sarcomere length ranges, intraoperative measurement is performed using an optical modification of a laser device. The use of intra-operative sarcomere length measurements to predict and set the optimal muscle-tendon unit length during reconstructive upper limb surgery is, based on our preliminary data, a new and promising tool to improve outcome of reconstruction

Professor Fridén has also performed seminal work on the biomechanics of tendon transfer procedures. 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 on the passive and active mechanical properties at micro and macro level of upper extremity muscles. The resulting muscle mechanics database aids surgeons in their decision-making strategies in tendon transfer for reconstruction of arm and hand motions and for correction of deformities