SURFACE STIFFNESS OF PATIENT-SPECIFIC ARTERIAL SEGMENTS WITH VARYING PLAQUE COMPOSITIONS

摘要

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), resulting from the accumulation of plaque, causes obstruction of blood flow in the large arteries in the arm and leg. In the United States, approximately 8.4 million people over the age of 40 have PAD [1]. If not treated, PAD can cause ischemic ulcerations and gangrene, which could eventually lead to amputation. Approximately, 25% of patients with PAD have worsening limb symptoms over 5 years, 7% requiring revascularization, and 4% requiring amputation [2]. Endovascular therapies, mainly stenting via self expanding or balloon expanding devices, offer promising outcomes, but there are growing concerns about long term device durability after fractures were observed in follow-up procedures [3]. Stent fracture is a serious clinical problem and it can lead to vascular complications such as restenosis and stent occlusion, which might require revascularization. The ability to describe arterial mechanics using finite element (FE) modeling can be valuable for the design and development of patient-specific interventions, where stent performance and fracture risk can be assessed in an individualized manner.