Asymmetric mechanical properties of porcine aortic sinuses.
BACKGROUND
Aortic sinuses are crucial components of the aortic root and important for aortic valve function. Mathematical modeling of various aortic valve or root replacements requires tissue material properties, and those of the aortic sinuses are unknown. The aim of this study is to compare the biaxial mechanical properties of the individual porcine aortic sinuses.


METHODS
Square specimens, oriented in the longitudinal and circumferential directions, were excised from the left coronary, right coronary, and noncoronary porcine sinuses. Tissue thickness was measured, and specimens were subjected to equibiaxial mechanical testing. Stress-strain data corresponding to a 35% stretch were fitted to a Fung strain energy function. Tissue stiffness and anisotropy were compared at 0.3 strain.


RESULTS
The circumferential direction was more compliant than the longitudinal one for left coronary (183.03 +/- 40.78 kPa versus 231.17 +/- 45.38 kPa, respectively; p = 0.04) and right coronary sinuses (321.74 +/- 129.68 kPa versus 443.49 +/- 143.59 kPa, respectively; p = 0.02) at 30% strain. No such differences were noted for noncoronary sinuses (331.74 +/- 129.68 kPa versus 415.98 +/- 191.38 kPa; p = 0.19). Left coronary sinus was also significantly more compliant than right and noncoronary sinuses. There were no differences between right coronary and noncoronary sinus tissues.


CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrate that the material properties of the porcine aortic sinuses are not symmetric. The left coronary sinus is significantly more compliant than the remaining sinuses. Realistic modeling of the aortic root must take into account the asymmetric differences in tissue material properties of the aortic sinuses.
Gundiah
Namrata
N
Department of Surgery, University of California at San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
Kam
Kimberly
K
Matthews
Peter B
PB
Guccione
Julius
J
Dwyer
Harry A
HA
Saloner
David
D
Chuter
Timothy A M
TA
Guy
T Sloane
TS
Ratcliffe
Mark B
MB
Tseng
Elaine E
EE
D000818:Animals; D016880:Anisotropy; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003198:Computer Simulation; D054326:Coronary Sinus / Q000502:physiology; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D008382:Marfan Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D012016:Reference Values; D012850:Sinus of Valsalva / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013552:Swine; D013718:Tensile Strength