Skip to main content
Log in

Strength, elasticity and viscoelastic properties of cerebral aneurysms

  • Originals
  • Published:
Heart and Vessels Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Tissue strength and stiffness of cerebral aneurysm walls obtained intraoperatively or at autopsy were evaluated by uniaxial strain/stress measurements. For comparison, corresponding measurements were also made on autopsy specimens of intracranial arteries. The maximum stress that the aneurysm tissue could tolerate, the yield stress, was found to be slightly lower than in arteries, which is likely due to the content of immature forms of collagen. The material stiffness, as determined by division of the yield stress by the corresponding strain, was also smaller in aneurysms than in arteries. The stress resistance of aneurysms and arterial tissue decreased over a period of several hours. The relaxation curves were found to be identical in aneurysms and arteries. The stress tolerated by aneurysm walls was found to be in the range of the stress that is imposed in vivo by the blood pressure. Arteries resisted stresses corresponding to pressures 5–10 times higher than physiological values. It is suggested that the balance of tissue strength and the stress imposed by the blood pressure is causally related to aneurysm growth.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Steiger HJ, Reulen H-J (1986) Low frequency flow fluctuations in saccular aneurysms. Acta Neurochir 83: 131–137

    Google Scholar 

  2. Steiger HJ, Poll A, Liepsch D, Reulen H-J (1987) Hemodynamic stress in lateral saccular aneurysms. Acta Neurochir 86: 98–105

    Google Scholar 

  3. Steiger HJ, Liepsch DW, Poll A, Reulen H-J (1988) Hemodynamic stress in terminal saccular aneurysms: a laser-Doppler study Heart Vessels 4: 162–169

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Steiger HJ, Poll A, Liepsch D, Reulen H-J (1987) Basic flow structure in saccular aneurysms: a flow visualization study. Heart Vessels 3: 55–65

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Canham PB, Ferguson GG (1985) A mathematical model for the mechanics of saccular aneurysms. Neurosurgery 17: 291–295

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. McDonald DA (1974) Blood flow in arteries. Edward Arnold, London, pp 238–282

    Google Scholar 

  7. Patel DJ, Vaishnav RN (1980) Basic hemodynamics and its role in disease process. University Park Press, Baltimore, pp 65–103

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hayashi K, Handa H, Nagasawa S, Okumura A, Moritake K (1980) Stiffness and elastic behavior of human intracranial and extracranial arteries. J Biomech 13: 175–184

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Hayashi K, Nagasawa S, Naruo Y, Okumura A, Moritake K, Handa H (1980) Mechanical properties of human cerebral arteries. Biorheology 17: 211–218

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Kraus H (1967) Thin elastic shells. Wiley, New York, pp 85–119

    Google Scholar 

  11. Ferguson GG (1972) Physical factors in the initiation, growth, and rupture of human intracranial saccular aneurysms. J Neurosurg 37: 666–677

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Scott S, Ferguson GG, Roach MR (1972) Comparison of the elastic properties of human intracranial arteries and aneurysms. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 50: 328–332

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Apter JT, Rabinowitz M, Cummings DH (1966) Correlation of visco-elastic properties of large arteries with microscopic structure, 11. Collagen, elastin and muscle determined chemically, histologically, and physiologically. Circ Res 19: 104–121

    Google Scholar 

  14. Apter JT, Marquez E (1968) Correlation of visco-elastic properties of large arteries with microscopic structure. Circ Res 22: 393–404

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Meyermann R, Yasargil MG (1978) Ultrastructural studies of cerebral aneurysms and angiomas gained operatively. Adv Neurol 20: 557–567

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Cromption MR (1966) Mechanism of growth and rupture in cerebral berry aneurysms. Br Med J 1: 1138–1142

    Google Scholar 

  17. Patel DJ, Janicki JS, Carew TE (1969) Static anisotropic properties of the aorta in living dogs. Circ Res 25: 765–779

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Steiger, H.J., Aaslid, R., Keller, S. et al. Strength, elasticity and viscoelastic properties of cerebral aneurysms. Heart Vessels 5, 41–46 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02058357

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02058357

Key words

Navigation