TY - JOUR
T1 - An in vitro methodology for evaluating the mechanical properties of aortic vascular prostheses
AU - Quaglini, Virginio
AU - Villa, Tomaso
AU - Migliavacca, Francesco
AU - Carmo, Michele
AU - Settembrini, Piergiorgio
AU - Contro, Roberto
AU - Pietrabissa, Riccardo
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - The main problem in the replacement of pathological segments of the aorta with vascular prostheses consists of matching the fluid admittance of the host artery and the graft. This mismatch results from the different compliance between natural and prosthetic vessels and from the plastic dilatation of the prosthesis diameter that occurs after implantation. An experimental procedure was set up for evaluating the mechanical properties of aortic vascular prostheses. An MTS 858 MiniBionix testing machine was equipped with a purposely designed testing apparatus, which allows loading a ring-shaped prosthesis specimen with forces that can be related easily to the trans-mural pressure acting on the prostheses in vivo. The reference pressure waveforms are simulated from a lumped parameter model of the cardiovascular system. Preliminary tests on 3 different (woven, warp knitted, and carbon-coated warp knitted fabric) aortic prostheses point out a good reproducibility of the results. The fabric strongly affects the circumferential elasticity and the dimensional stability of the graft. Simulation of hypertension promotes larger diameter dilatation and reduction in compliance. Agreement between in vitro and clinical diameter measurements has been assessed for 8 prosthesis samples and found to be adequate. This method is thus a potentially useful means for preclinical evaluation of compliance of vascular prostheses for the purpose of matching to native vessels.
AB - The main problem in the replacement of pathological segments of the aorta with vascular prostheses consists of matching the fluid admittance of the host artery and the graft. This mismatch results from the different compliance between natural and prosthetic vessels and from the plastic dilatation of the prosthesis diameter that occurs after implantation. An experimental procedure was set up for evaluating the mechanical properties of aortic vascular prostheses. An MTS 858 MiniBionix testing machine was equipped with a purposely designed testing apparatus, which allows loading a ring-shaped prosthesis specimen with forces that can be related easily to the trans-mural pressure acting on the prostheses in vivo. The reference pressure waveforms are simulated from a lumped parameter model of the cardiovascular system. Preliminary tests on 3 different (woven, warp knitted, and carbon-coated warp knitted fabric) aortic prostheses point out a good reproducibility of the results. The fabric strongly affects the circumferential elasticity and the dimensional stability of the graft. Simulation of hypertension promotes larger diameter dilatation and reduction in compliance. Agreement between in vitro and clinical diameter measurements has been assessed for 8 prosthesis samples and found to be adequate. This method is thus a potentially useful means for preclinical evaluation of compliance of vascular prostheses for the purpose of matching to native vessels.
KW - Compliance
KW - Diameter dilatation
KW - Fluid admittance mismatch
KW - In vitro tests
KW - Vascular prostheses
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U2 - 10.1046/j.1525-1594.2002.06886_5.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1525-1594.2002.06886_5.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 12072115
AN - SCOPUS:0036016616
VL - 26
SP - 555
EP - 564
JO - Artificial Organs
JF - Artificial Organs
SN - 0160-564X
IS - 6
ER -