Imaging analysis of collagen fiber networks in cusps of porcine aortic valves: effect of their local distribution and alignment on valve functionality

Abstract

The cusps of native aortic valve (AV) are composed of collagen bundles embedded in soft tissue, creating a heterogenic tissue with asymmetric alignment in each cusp. This study compares native collagen fiber networks (CFNs) with a goal to better understand their influence on stress distribution and valve kinematics. Images of CFNs from five porcine tricuspid AVs are analyzed and fluid-structure interaction models are generated based on them. Although the valves had similar overall kinematics, the CFNs had distinctive influence on local mechanics. The regions with dilute CFN are more prone to damage since they are subjected to higher stress magnitudes.

Keywords:

• Collagen fibers
• porcine specific
• numerical model
• fluid-structure interaction
• aortic valves

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr David Castel from Neufeld Cardiac Research Institute at Sheba Medical Center and Lital Abraham from the Animal Facility of the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, who provided the valves for this study and also helped to dissect them.

Disclosure statement

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health: NIBIB Quantum Award: Implementation Phase II [grant number U01 EB012487-0] (D.B.).