Predictive biomechanical analysis of ascending aortic aneurysm rupture potential

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Research
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Aortic aneurysm is a major cause of adult mortality, often presenting without warning signs.
• Early detection and surgical intervention can prevent adverse outcomes, but identifying high-risk individuals remains challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a patient-specific biomechanical analysis for predicting ascending aortic aneurysm (AsAA) rupture risk.
• To assess the relationship between tissue mechanical properties and the likelihood of aneurysm rupture.

Main Methods:

• Collected intra-operative AsAA tissue samples from 50 patients.
• Performed biaxial mechanical and uniaxial failure tests to determine passive elastic properties.
• Developed a novel analytical method to predict pressure-diameter, yield, and failure responses.

Main Results:

• Predicted mean AsAA rupture diameter: 5.6 ± 0.7 cm; rupture blood pressure: 579.4 ± 214.8 mmHg.
• Found a significant positive correlation between aneurysm tissue compliance and predicted rupture risk.
• Patients with a pressure-strain modulus ≥100 kPa were nearly twice as likely to rupture.

Conclusions:

• Decreased tissue compliance is a significant risk factor for AsAA rupture.
• Mechanical analysis of tissue properties can predict future yielding and rupture.
• The developed methods could form the basis for a pre-operative planning tool for AsAA evaluation.