A Novel Approach to Assess the In Situ Versus Ex Vivo Mechanical Behaviors of the Coronary Artery.

Ex vivo mechanical testing has provided tremendous insight toward prediction of the in vivo mechanical behavior and local mechanical environment of the arterial wall; however, the role of perivascular support on the local mechanical behavior of arteries is not well understood. Here, we present a novel approach for quantifying the impact of the perivascular support on arterial mechanics using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) on cadaveric porcine hearts. We performed pressure-diameter tests (n = 5) on the left anterior descending coronary arteries (LADCAs) in situ while embedded in their native perivascular environment using IVUS imaging and after removal of the perivascular support of the artery. We then performed standard cylindrical biaxial testing on these vessels ex vivo and compared the results. Removal of the perivascular support resulted in an upward shift of the pressure-diameter curve. Ex vivo testing, however, showed significantly lower circumferential compliance compared to the in situ configuration. On a second set of arteries, local axial stretch ratios were quantified (n = 5) along the length of the arteries. The average in situ axial stretch ratio was 1.28 ± 0.16; however, local axial stretch ratios showed significant variability, ranging from 1.01 to 1.70. Taken together, the data suggest that both the perivascular loading and the axial tethering have an important role in arterial mechanics. Combining nondestructive testing using IVUS with traditional ex vivo cylindrical biaxial testing yields a more comprehensive assessment of the mechanical behavior of arteries.