Artery buckling: new phenotypes, models, and applications.

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Arteries experience substantial mechanical forces from blood pressure, flow, and movement.
• Maintaining arterial patency and stability under these loads is vital for health.
• Existing research often focuses on wall stiffness and strength, but mechanical instability is also critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize the common forms of mechanical buckling in blood vessels.
• To discuss the phenomena, analytical models, experimental findings, and clinical relevance of vascular buckling.
• To highlight the importance of studying vessel buckling for both fundamental biomechanics and practical applications.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of studies on arterial buckling.
• Analysis of different buckling modes: cross-sectional collapse, longitudinal twist buckling, and bent buckling.
• Discussion integrating theoretical models, experimental measurements, and clinical observations.

Main Results:

• Identified and described three primary forms of arterial buckling.
• Detailed the underlying phenomena and analytical approaches for each buckling type.
• Highlighted the impact of buckling on blood flow dynamics and its clinical implications.

Conclusions:

• Mechanical buckling is a significant factor in vascular mechanics, alongside material properties.
• Further research is needed to fully understand and address the challenges posed by vessel buckling.
• Studies on vascular buckling offer valuable insights into cardiovascular health and disease.