Peak wall stress does not necessarily predict the location of rupture in abdominal aortic aneurysms.
Using finite element analysis, we evaluated if the site of an aortic bleb, known to be prone to rupture, coincides with the location of peak wall stress (PWS) in a patient-specific abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) model.


METHODS
PWS was not located at the bleb site, even when stress values were estimated for different bleb wall thicknesses (0.5-2.0 mm) while the rest of the AAA wall was considered constant (2 mm).


CONCLUSIONS
The sites of PWS in AAAs should not always be considered as the sites most prone to rupture since other factors, such as wall strength, may play a role in rupture-risk prediction, depicting the need for further investigation of these parameters.
Georgakarakos
E
E
Department of Vascular Surgery, University of Crete Medical School, Heraklion, Greece.
Ioannou
C V
CV
Papaharilaou
Y
Y
Kostas
T
T
Tsetis
D
D
Katsamouris
A N
AN
D000368:Aged; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures