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Biomechanical Analysis of Cadaveric Thoracic Aorta Zones: The Isthmus is the Weakest Region
- Source :
- Annals of Vascular Surgery. 77:263-273
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2021.
-
Abstract
- The thoracic aorta is a site of multiple pathological processes, such as aneurysms and dissections. When considering the development of endovascular devices, this vessel has been extensively manipulated because of aortic diseases, as well as to serve as a route for procedures involving the head and neck vessels. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to obtain biomechanical experimental information about the strength and deformability of this vessel.Thirty-one thoracic aorta specimens were harvested during the autopsy procedure. They were carefully dissected and transversally sectioned according to Criado's aortic arch map landing zones (0 to 4). The supra-aortic trunks were removed, and the aortic rings were opened in their convexity, which resulted in flat tissue segments. Four millimeter-wide strips were prepared from each zone after which they were attached to a clip system connected to the INSTRON SPEC 2200 device, which was responsible for pulling the fragment up to its rupture during the uniaxial tension test. The INSPEC software was used to coordinate the test, and data management was conducted via the SERIES IX software. The biomechanical variables that were measured included failure stress, failure tension, and failure strain.When comparing the five segments from all 31 aortas, three different strength levels were observed. Zones 0 and 1 exhibited the highest failure stress and failure tension values, followed by Zones 2 and 4. Zone 3 (aortic isthmus) was the weakest segment that was tested when compared to the stress and tension of Zones 0 and 1 (P0.001), the stress and tension of Zone 2 (P = 0.005 and P = 0.002, respectively) and the stress and tension of Zone 4 (P = 0.023 and P = 0.006, respectively). Among donors65 years-old, women presented significantly weaker descending aortas than men in regards to stress (P = 0.049) and tension (P = 0.014). Among male donors, the elderly donors presented significantly stiffer aortic walls and weaker ascending (P = 0.029 for stress) and descending (P = 0.004 for stress; P = 0.031 for tension) aortas than younger men.Uniaxial tensile strength tests revealed that the thoracic aorta is a very heterogeneous vessel. Isthmus frailty may add to the understanding of the pathophysiology of some aortic diseases that commonly compromise this region. The lower strength that was verifiedin some aortic segments from elderly donors may contribute to the genesis of some thoracic aorta diseases among that group of donors. These data can contribute to the development of new endovascular devices that are specifically designed for this vessel.
- Subjects :
- Male
Aortic arch
Aortic Rupture
Failure strain
Uniaxial tension
Aorta, Thoracic
Sex Factors
Tensile Strength
medicine.artery
Cadaver
medicine
Humans
Thoracic aorta
Head and neck
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
business.industry
Age Factors
General Medicine
Anatomy
Middle Aged
Biomechanical Phenomena
Tension (geology)
cardiovascular system
Female
Surgery
Aortic isthmus
Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Cadaveric spasm
business
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 08905096
- Volume :
- 77
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Annals of Vascular Surgery
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....47d8f428eb02099572fc3b74665bf410