The Mechanical Properties of Porcine Coronary Arteries Determined With a Mixed Experimental-Numerical Approach

Mechanical characterization of the coronary arterial wall is important for several reasons. Mechanical factors play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis [1]. Atherosclerotic coronary arteries may be treated mechanically with interventions like PTCA and stent implantation, 1265000 PTCA procedures were performed in the United States in 2005 [2]. Furthermore, knowledge of the mechanical properties of the arterial wall is important for modeling of the coronary circulation and explaining its hemodynamics.