Biomechanics of the Aorta: Modeling for Patient Care

by T. Christian Gasser (Editor), Stéphane Avril (Editor), John A. Elefteriades MD (Editor)

As biomechanics is fundamental to understanding the normal and pathological functions of the aorta, Biomechanics of the Aorta presents a holistic analysis of aortic physiology, clinical imaging, tissue and blood flow modeling. It investigates a wide range of topics from basic sciences (vascular biology, continuum mechanics, image analysis) to essential knowledge for clinical applications, including diagnostics, aortic rupture prediction, as well as surgical planning. Expert chapter authors describe and present computational studies and experimental benches, to mimic, understand and propose the best treatment of aortic pathologies. Divided into five parts, the book begins with an introduction to the fundamental aspects of the anatomy, biology, and physiopathology of the aorta, and then proceeds to present concepts of imaging and tissue/rheology characterization, tissue modeling and rupture, and flow modeling and algorithms. The final part dives into applications and case studies including transcatheter aortic valve implantation, aortic aneurysm rupture prediction, aortic dissections, and pharmacological treatments.

• Comprehensive coverage of the main computational fluid dynamic studies and biomechanical and mechanobiological models developed over the last decade
• Introduces the most recent imaging technologies to characterize factors, including aortic geometry, mechanical properties of aortic tissues, and cellular activity in the vessel wall
• Synthesizes advances in vascular biomechanics, medical imaging, and computational modeling of finite element fluid and solid models