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A method for mechanical characterization of small blood vessels and vascular grafts

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Abstract

For small animal vascular disease models and for the development of small-diameter vascular prosthesis, biomechanical data is important. However, these tiny structures with low diameter (<1 mm) require special handling and testing. To allow investigation of a high sample number, a custom designed, easy probe fixation was connected to a tensile testing system. In hoop tensile measurements, ring-shaped specimens were loaded circumferentially via two pins. The setup was used for an atherosclerosis experiment in mice where 238 ring-samples of thoracic aortae were tested. Significantly higher ultimate tensile force (413 ± 123mN) and aortic stiffness (34.3 ± 4.3 N/m) were seen in atherosclerotic group, compared to control group (347 ± 108mN and 31.5 ± 3.8 N/m). Mechanical properties also varied in both groups along the aorta, with tendency to increased strength and higher stiffness in distal locations. A sensitive preparation and measurement technique has been developed for the characterization of very small tubular specimens.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Anneliese Steinacher-Niegisch, Birgitta Winter, and Eva Eichmair for their technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    M. Stoiber, C. Grasl & H. Schima

  2. Department of Cardiac Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    V. Gschlad & H. Schima

  3. Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    B. Messner & D. Bernhard

  4. Division of Biomedical Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    H. Bergmeister

  5. Ludwig-Boltzmann-Cluster for Cardiovascular Research, Vienna, Austria

    M. Stoiber, C. Grasl, H. Bergmeister & H. Schima

Authors
  1. M. Stoiber
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  2. B. Messner
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  3. C. Grasl
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  4. V. Gschlad
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  5. H. Bergmeister
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  6. D. Bernhard
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  7. H. Schima
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Correspondence to M. Stoiber.

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Stoiber, M., Messner, B., Grasl, C. et al. A method for mechanical characterization of small blood vessels and vascular grafts. Exp Mech 55, 1591–1595 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-015-0053-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-015-0053-x

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