Why the study?
Aortic dissection causes rapid propagation with high morbidity and mortality, but the underlying propagation mechanisms are not well understood.
A novel computational model successfully describes the avalanche-like failure mechanics of aortic dissection propagation, offering potential for predicting catastrophic events based on microscopic ECM features.
Does not alter aortic dissection management; leaves open validation of failure cascades in vivo.
Aortic dissection is a devastating cardiovascular disease known for its rapid propagation and high morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms underlying the propagation of aortic dissection are not well understood. Our study reports the discovery of avalanche-like failure of the aorta during dissection propagation that results from the local buildup of strain energy followed by a cascade failure of inhomogeneously distributed interlamellar collagen fibers. An innovative computational model was developed that successfully describes the failure mechanics of dissection propagation. Our study provides the first quantitative agreement between experiment and model prediction of the dissection propagation within the complex extracellular matrix (ECM). Our results may lead to the possibility of predicting such catastrophic events based on microscopic features of the ECM.
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Yu et al. (2020) studied this question.
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