title: Imaging analysis of collagen fiber networks in cusps of porcine aortic valves: effect of their local distribution and alignment on valve functionality.
abstract: The cusps of native aortic valve (AV) are composed of collagen bundles embedded in soft tissue, creating a heterogenic tissue with asymmetric alignment in each cusp. This study compares native collagen fiber networks (CFNs) with a goal to better understand their influence on stress distribution and valve kinematics. Images of CFNs from five porcine tricuspid AVs are analyzed and fluid-structure interaction models are generated based on them. Although the valves had similar overall kinematics, the CFNs had distinctive influence on local mechanics. The regions with dilute CFN are more prone to damage since they are subjected to higher stress magnitudes.
authors.affiliation: a School of Mechanical Engineering , Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel.
authors.forename: Mor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mega
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biomedical Engineering , Stony Brook University , Stony Brook , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Gil
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marom
authors.affiliation: a School of Mechanical Engineering , Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel.
authors.forename: Rotem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Halevi
authors.affiliation: c Heart Institute, Chaim Sheba Medical Center , Tel Hashomer , Israel.
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamdan
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biomedical Engineering , Stony Brook University , Stony Brook , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bluestein
authors.affiliation: a School of Mechanical Engineering , Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel.
authors.forename: Rami
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haj-Ali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D034421:Sus scrofa
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen
keywords: Collagen fibers; aortic valves; fluid-structure interaction; numerical model; porcine specific