Ascending aortic geometry and its relationship to the biomechanical properties of aortic tissue

This study examined the relationship between ascending aortic geometry (diameter and length) and the intrinsic biomechanical properties of aneurysmal aortic tissue. Sixty-eight patients undergoing elective ascending aortic aneurysm repair were analyzed. Preoperative CT scans provided length and diameter measurements, while excised tissues underwent biaxial tensile testing and delamination testing. Stress–strain data were used to calculate energy loss, modulus of elasticity, and delamination strength. Results showed that only energy loss weakly correlated with aortic diameter, while no significant relationship existed between diameter or length and stiffness or delamination strength. The findings indicate that aortic geometry alone does not reliably reflect the material properties or dissection risk of aneurysmal aortic tissue, emphasizing the need for new biomechanical risk markers.