TY - JOUR
T1 - Experiments on dynamic behaviour of a Dacron aortic graft in a mock circulatory loop
AU - Ferrari, Giovanni
AU - Balasubramanian, Prabakaran
AU - Tubaldi, Eleonora
AU - Giovanniello, Francesco
AU - Amabili, Marco
PY - 2019/3/27
Y1 - 2019/3/27
N2 - Woven Dacron grafts are currently used for the surgical treatment of aortic aneurysm and acute dissection, two otherwise fatal pathologies when aortic wall rupture occurs. While Dacron is chosen for aortic grafts because of characteristics such as biocompatibility and durability, few data are available about the dynamic response of Dacron prosthetic devices and about their side effects on the cardiovascular system. In this study, a Dacron graft was subjected to physiological flow conditions in a specifically-developed mock circulatory loop. Experiments were conducted at different physiological pulsation-per-minute rates. Results show that, in comparison to an aortic segment of the same length, the prosthesis is extremely stiffer circumferentially, thus limiting the dynamical radial expansion responsible for the Windkessel effect in human arteries. The prosthesis is instead excessively compliant in the axial direction and develops preferentially bending oscillations. This very different dynamic behaviour with respect to the human aorta can alter cardiovascular pressure and flow dynamics resulting in long-term implant complications.
AB - Woven Dacron grafts are currently used for the surgical treatment of aortic aneurysm and acute dissection, two otherwise fatal pathologies when aortic wall rupture occurs. While Dacron is chosen for aortic grafts because of characteristics such as biocompatibility and durability, few data are available about the dynamic response of Dacron prosthetic devices and about their side effects on the cardiovascular system. In this study, a Dacron graft was subjected to physiological flow conditions in a specifically-developed mock circulatory loop. Experiments were conducted at different physiological pulsation-per-minute rates. Results show that, in comparison to an aortic segment of the same length, the prosthesis is extremely stiffer circumferentially, thus limiting the dynamical radial expansion responsible for the Windkessel effect in human arteries. The prosthesis is instead excessively compliant in the axial direction and develops preferentially bending oscillations. This very different dynamic behaviour with respect to the human aorta can alter cardiovascular pressure and flow dynamics resulting in long-term implant complications.
KW - Aortic graft
KW - Dacron graft
KW - Dynamic behaviour
KW - Experiment
KW - Mock circulatory loop
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.01.053
DO - 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.01.053
M3 - Article
C2 - 30799078
AN - SCOPUS:85061709250
VL - 86
SP - 132
EP - 140
JO - Journal of Biomechanics
JF - Journal of Biomechanics
SN - 0021-9290
ER -