Jan Wersäll, former Professor and Head of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery (ORL-HNS) at Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, has died at the age of 87.
Jan Wersäll studied medicine at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Early in his career, he was engaged in histological research. Together with Hans Engström (later Professor and Head of ORL-HNS at Uppsala University Hospital), he studied the ultrastructure of the inner ear. In 1956, Wersäll published his now classical work on the ultrastructure of crista ampullaris, detailing both type I and type II hair cells. His pioneering work on the ultrastructure of the labyrinth in toto became world renowned. He was also a leading researcher into the ototoxicity of several aminoglycoside antibiotics.
In the early 1960s Jan Wersäll was invited by Professor Carl-Axel Hamberger (Head of ORL-HNS at Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm) to take part in clinical work alongside his research work. Wersäll later founded the Otological Research Laboratory at the King Gustaf V Research Institute adjoining the clinical department. For several decades this laboratory hosted internationally renowned researchers. Moreover, many Swedish physicians who were later appointed Professors/Heads at university hospitals were firmly established at the otology laboratory.
Clinically, Jan Wersäll concentrated on head and neck surgery, and especially on pituitary tumors. In 1974, he was appointed Professor and Head of ORL-HNS at the newly established Huddinge Hospital of the Karolinska Institute. When in 1976 Professor Hamberger retired at Karolinska Hospital, Wersäll succeeded him and stayed at this position until his retirement in 1995. For a few years, he was also Medical Director of the entire Karolinska Hospital. At the Karolinska Institute, Wersäll served on the Nobel Awards Committee (1984–1990).
Jan Wersäll worked generously for the cause of universal professional co-operation. This afforded him and his colleagues privileged access to the world of ORL-HNS. His contacts with otolaryngologists in almost every country gave him a worldwide circle of friends. In this connection he was a member of Collegium Otolaryngologicum Amicitiae Sacrum and an honorary member of several international societies. For several years, Jan Wersäll served as Chairman of the Acta Oto-Laryngologica Society.
Jan Wersäll was a notable humanitarian and took unflagging interest in all his many patients, colleagues and friends. He devoted much time to the education and support of young doctors, in both personal and scientific respects, whenever the need arose. He spent much of his spare time with his family. He was also a great music lover and for many years was the `GP´ (family doctor) of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra at Stockholm´s Concert Hall.