Mechanical Properties Along the Branching Site of the Abdominal Aorta and Iliac Arteries

There is a great interest in studying arteries due to the prevalence of arterial diseases such as atherosclerosis and aneurysms, but much of the focus has been on straight arteries [1,2]. As arteries branch off, the fiber alignment and thickness of the arterial wall change. Smooth muscle cells orient helically in straight segments while multiple orientations have been seen at the branching region. As a result, straight segments of arteries vary mechanically from branched segments [2]. This study focused on the structural and mechanical properties of arteries at branching sites to observe the effect of the structural changes at bifurcations on mechanical behavior.