The pressure dependent dynamic elasticity of 35 thoracic and 16 abdominal human aortas in vitro described by a five...

Segments of 35 thoracic and 16 abdominal human aortas, including nine pairs, aged 30-78 yr at autopsy, were perfused with 37 degrees C Tyrode's solution at in situ length. Diameter changes due to 20 mmHg pressure steps between 20 and 180 mmHg were measured to 1 micron accuracy at an equivalent noise level of 0.1 micron RMS, using balanced transducers. Aortic creep curves at each pressure level were described individually by a constant plus bi-exponential creep model characterized by two creep fractions (alpha 1 and alpha 2) and two time constants (tau 1 and tau 2). Creep fractions and time constants increased substantially with the pressure level, indicating a significant effect of pressure or distension on aortic viscoelasticity. At 110 mmHg the mean +/- 1 S.D. parameter values were: thoracic aorta: alpha 1 = 0.076 +/- 0.017, alpha 2 = 0.102 +/- 0.028, tau 1 = 0.73 +/- 0.29 s, tau 2 = 14.0 +/- 4.1 s; abdominal aorta: alpha 1 = 0.078 +/- 0.017, alpha 2 = 0.101 +/- 0.025, tau 1 = 0.61 +/- 0.12 s, tau 2 = 12.1 +/- 3.4 s. Nine paired comparisons at each pressure level showed that creep fractions and time constants of thoracic and abdominal segments were not significantly different (p = 0.05).