Radial Compressive Properties of an Aortic Stent Graft

The long-term fixation characteristics of stent grafts used to treat aortic aneurysms are likely related to the nature of its apposition to the aortic wall after deployment. But we only have a rudimentary understanding of the mechanisms involved and the factors that determine the nature of deployment of these implants. One factor that has been shown to be of particular relevance is oversizing — the % difference between the size of the graft to that of the aorta in which it is deployed (oversizing implies the former is larger) [1]. Other proposed factors include the angulation in the aortic neck and stent design. Naturally, issues of mechanics are central to this problem. Computational models of the mechanics involved, if developed with rigor, can be useful for gaining insights into the mechanisms involved and for interrogating the interactions among these multiple factors.