Significance of Dynamic Axial Stretching on Estimating Biomechanical Behavior and Properties of the Human Ascending Aorta

Shaiv Parikh, Alessandro Giudici, Wouter Huberts, Tammo Delhaas, Elham Bidar, Bart Spronck, Koen Reesink*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Contrary to most vessels, the ascending thoracic aorta (ATA) not only distends but also elongates in the axial direction. The purpose of this study is to investigate the biomechanical behavior of the ascending thoracic aorta (ATA) in response to dynamic axial stretching during the cardiac cycle. In addition, the implications of neglecting this dynamic axial stretching when estimating the constitutive model parameters of the ATA are investigated. The investigations were performed through in silico simulations by assuming a Gasser–Ogden–Holzapfel (GOH) constitutive model representative of ATA tissue material. The GOH model parameters were obtained from biaxial tests performed on four human ATA tissues in a previous study. Pressure–diameter curves were simulated as synthetic data to assess the effect of neglecting dynamic axial stretching on estimating constitutive model parameters. Our findings reveal a significant increase in axial stress (~ 16%) and stored strain energy (~ 18%) in the vessel when dynamic axial stretching is considered, as opposed to assuming a fixed axial stretch. All but one artery showed increased volume compliance while considering a dynamic axial stretching condition. Furthermore, we observe a notable difference in the estimated constitutive model parameters when dynamic axial stretching of the ATA is neglected, compared to the ground truth model parameters. These results underscore the critical importance of accounting for axial deformations when conducting in vivo biomechanical characterization of the ascending thoracic aorta.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2485-2495
Number of pages11
JournalAnnals of Biomedical Engineering
Volume52
Issue number9
Early online date1 Jan 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2024

Keywords

  • Ascending thoracic aorta
  • Biaxial stretching
  • Biomechanical response
  • Parameter estimation

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