Simulation of reduction of proximal aortic stiffness by an elastic wrap and effects on pulse pressure

Francesca Giudici*, Yi Qian, Michael O'Rourke, Alberto Avolio

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceeding contributionpeer-review

    11 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Aortic stiffness is a major cause of age-related increase in arterial pulse pressure (PP) and associated increase in work load for the heart. A method to treat this condition is proposed: wrapping the ascending aortic wall with a highly compliant elastic material such that reducing the vessel diameter will shift the pulsatile load from the aortic wall to the wrap, thus increasing the functional compliance of the ascending aorta and decreasing the cardiac load. A multibranched mathematical model of the arterial system, in which every segment of the arterial tree is represented as a uniform elastic circular tube, has been used to simulate the effect of the wrapping procedure on PP and impedance changes, by varying the radius (R) and the stiffness (E) of the ascending aortic segment. The results of the simulation show that PP decreases with an increase in R and a decrease in E. A similar trend, but with a different sensitivity, is observed for the characteristic impedance (Zc) changes. The model shows that PP in the ascending aorta can be lowered by 8.8% by reducing R of 20% and decreasing the functional E by 80%, in good agreement with preliminary results obtained from an in vitro pilot study of elastic wrap in aortas. In conclusion, the modelling study demonstrates that the proposed aortic wrapping procedure is able to compensate for the increase in PP associated with R reduction by a decrease in PP determined by a reduction in functional E. Therefore, it supports the use of the aortic wrap as a potential non-pharmacological treatment of age-related increase in PP.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publication2012 Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2012
    EditorsNigel Lovell
    Place of PublicationPiscataway, N.J.
    PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
    Pages657-660
    Number of pages4
    Volume2012
    ISBN (Electronic)9781457717871, 9781424441204
    ISBN (Print)9781424441198
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Sept 2012
    Event34th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS 2012 - San Diego, CA, United States
    Duration: 28 Aug 20121 Sept 2012

    Publication series

    NameProceedings of the annual international conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
    PublisherIEEE
    ISSN (Print)1094-687X
    ISSN (Electronic)1558-4615

    Other

    Other34th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS 2012
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    CitySan Diego, CA
    Period28/08/121/09/12

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