| 1. |
- Erhart, P., et al.
(författare)
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Finite Element Analysis in Asymptomatic, Symptomatic, and Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms : In Search of New Rupture Risk Predictors
- 2015
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Ingår i: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1078-5884 .- 1532-2165. ; 49:3, s. 239-245
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: To compare biomechanical rupture risk parameters of asymptomatic, symptomatic and ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) using finite element analysis (FEA). Study design: Retrospective biomechanical single center analysis of asymptomatic, symptomatic, and ruptured AAAs. Comparison of biomechanical parameters from FEA. Materials and methods: From 2011 to 2013 computed tomography angiography (CTA) data from 30 asymptomatic, 15 symptomatic, and 15 ruptured AAAs were collected consecutively. FEA was performed according to the successive steps of AAA vessel reconstruction, segmentation and finite element computation. Biomechanical parameters Peak Wall Rupture Risk Index (PWRI), Peak Wall Stress (PWS), and Rupture Risk Equivalent Diameter (RRED) were compared among the three subgroups. Results: PWRI differentiated between asymptomatic and symptomatic AAAs (p < .0004) better than PWS (p < .1453). PWRI-dependent RRED was higher in the symptomatic subgroup compared with the asymptomatic subgroup (p < .0004). Maximum AAA external diameters were comparable between the two groups (p < .1355). Ruptured AAAs showed the highest values for external diameter, total intraluminal thrombus volume, PWS, RRED, and PWRI compared with asymptomatic and symptomatic AAAs. In contrast with symptomatic and ruptured AAAs, none of the asymptomatic patients had a PWRI value >1.0. This threshold value might identify patients at imminent risk of rupture: Conclusions: From different FEA derived parameter, PWRI distinguishes most precisely between asymptomatic and symptomatic AAAs. If elevated, this value may represent a negative prognostic factor for asymptomatic AAAs.
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| 2. |
- Gasser, T. Christian, et al.
(författare)
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A novel strategy to translate the biomechanical rupture risk of abdominal aortic aneurysms to their equivalent diameter risk : Method and retrospective validation
- 2014
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Ingår i: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1078-5884 .- 1532-2165. ; 47:3, s. 288-295
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To translate the individual abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patient's biomechanical rupture risk profile to risk-equivalent diameters, and to retrospectively test their predictability in ruptured and non-ruptured aneurysms. Methods: Biomechanical parameters of ruptured and non-ruptured AAAs were retrospectively evaluated in a multicenter study. General patient data and high resolution computer tomography angiography (CTA) images from 203 non-ruptured and 40 ruptured aneurysmal infrarenal aortas. Three-dimensional AAA geometries were semi-automatically derived from CTA images. Finite element (FE) models were used to predict peak wall stress (PWS) and peak wall rupture index (PWRI) according to the individual anatomy, gender, blood pressure, intraluminal thrombus (ILT) morphology, and relative aneurysm expansion. Average PWS diameter and PWRI diameter responses were evaluated, which allowed for the PWS equivalent and PWRI equivalent diameters for any individual aneurysm to be defined. Results: PWS increased linearly and PWRI exponentially with respect to maximum AAA diameter. A size-adjusted analysis showed that PWS equivalent and PWRI equivalent diameters were increased by 7.5 mm (p = .013) and 14.0 mm (p < .001) in ruptured cases when compared to non-ruptured controls, respectively. In non-ruptured cases the PWRI equivalent diameters were increased by 13.2 mm (p < .001) in females when compared with males. Conclusions: Biomechanical parameters like PWS and PWRI allow for a highly individualized analysis by integrating factors that influence the risk of AAA rupture like geometry (degree of asymmetry, ILT morphology, etc.) and patient characteristics (gender, family history, blood pressure, etc.). PWRI and the reported annual risk of rupture increase similarly with the diameter. PWRI equivalent diameter expresses the PWRI through the diameter of the average AAA that has the same PWRI, i.e. is at the same biomechanical risk of rupture. Consequently, PWRI equivalent diameter facilitates a straightforward interpretation of biomechanical analysis and connects to diameter-based guidelines for AAA repair indication. PWRI equivalent diameter reflects an additional diagnostic parameter that may provide more accurate clinical data for AAA repair indication.
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| 3. |
- Gasser, T. Christian, et al.
(författare)
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Biomechanical Rupture Risk Assessment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms : Model Complexity versus Predictability of Finite Element Simulations
- 2010
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Ingår i: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1078-5884 .- 1532-2165. ; 40:2, s. 176-185
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Investigation of the predictability of finite element (FE) models regarding rupture risk assessment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Materials and materials: Peak wall stress (PWS) and peak wall rupture risk (PWRR) of ruptured (n = 20) and non-ruptured (n = 30) AAAs were predicted by four FE models of different complexities derived from computed tomography (CT) data. Two matching sub-groups of ruptured and non-ruptured aneurysms were used to investigate the usability of different FE models to discriminate amongst them. Results: All FE models exhibited a strong positive correlation between PWS and PWRR with the maximum diameter. FE models, which excluded the intra-luminal thrombus (ILT) failed to discriminate between ruptured and non-ruptured aneurysms. The predictability of all applied FE models was strengthened by including wall strength data, that is, computing the PWRR. The most sophisticated FE model applied in this study predicted PWS and PWRR 1.17 (p = 0.021) and 1.43 (p = 0.016) times higher in ruptured than diameter-matched non-ruptured aneurysms, respectively. Conclusions: PWRR reinforces PWS as a biomechanical rupture risk index. The ILT has a major impact on AAA biomechanics and rupture risk, and hence, needs to be considered in meaningful FE simulations. The applied FE models, however, could not explain rupture in all analysed aneurysms.
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| 4. |
- Kiessling, Jonas, et al.
(författare)
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Artificial Intelligence Outperforms Kaplan-Meier Analyses Estimating Survival after Elective Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
- 2023
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Ingår i: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1078-5884 .- 1532-2165. ; 65:4, s. 600-607
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Long term differences in survival after elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) between open surgical repair (OSR) and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) are unclear, and hitherto artificial intelligence has not been used for this purpose. The aim was to compare the precision of survival estimates between the Kaplan -Meier (KM) method and the artificial intelligence derived method Neural Multi-Task Logistic Regression (N-MTLR), and to compare survival estimates as a function of patient age and time since surgery between OSR and EVAR using N-MTLR. Methods: All AAAs between 2003 and 2018 in Denmark were identified in the Danish vascular registry. Survival was estimated using the KM and N-MTLR methods, and prediction performance was estimated with the Brier score. Results: 7 912 patients were included in the study, n = 6 569 (83%) men, median age 72 years (range 35 -92), with a median follow-up time of 45.7 months (range 0 -120). The two treatment cohorts, OSR n = 5 495 (69%), and EVAR n = 2 417 (31%), differed significantly in patient characteristics. The Brier score for KM increased from 0.044 to 0.244, and for N-MTLR from 0.044 to 0.206, from 90 days to 10 years. The N-MTLR method was more accurate than KM from 90 days to 10 years after surgery, p < .025. N-MTLR demonstrated significant increased probability for survival for OSR in patients aged 58 -76 years at five years, and 65 -73 at 10 years after surgery, and the opposite was found for the benefit of EVAR in patients aged 72 -85 years at one year, 85 -90 years at five years, and for 85 -90 year olds at 10 years after surgery. Conclusion: N-MTLR outperforms KM for the entire post-operative follow-up time. This N-MTLR model has the potential to render more precise patient specific survival estimates and establish survival differences between subgroups of patients that KM is unable to detect, demonstrated here for different age groups.
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| 5. |
- Matthews, Evan O., et al.
(författare)
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Athero-occlusive Disease Appears to be Associated with Slower Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Growth : An Exploratory Analysis of the TEDY Trial
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1078-5884 .- 1532-2165. ; 63:4, s. 632-640
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: The role of atherosclerosis in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) pathogenesis is controversial. The aim of this study was to compare AAA growth in patients who did and did not have concurrent athero-occlusive disease (AOD). Methods: Patients with an AAA measuring 35 - 49 mm in maximum diameter were recruited as part of the TElmisartan in the management of abdominal aortic aneurysm (TEDY) trial. TEDY participants who had infrarenal aortic volume and orthogonal diameter assessed by computed tomography at entry and at least one other time point during the trial (12 and/or 24 months) were included. AOD was defined by prior diagnoses of coronary heart disease, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease or an ankle brachial pressure index < 0.90. The increase in AAA volume and diameter from entry for participants who did and did not have AOD was assessed using linear mixed effects models; 131 of the 210 participants recruited to TEDY were included. Results: In an unadjusted analysis, the mean (95% confidence interval) annual increases in AAA volume and diameter for participants with AOD were 3.26 (0.82 - 5.70) cm(3) and 0.70 (0.19 - 1.22) mm slower than those without AOD, p = .008 and.007 respectively. The association between AOD and significantly slower AAA growth was maintained after adjusting for risk factors and medications, significantly unequally distributed between participants with and without an AOD diagnosis. Conclusion: In an exploratory analysis of a selective cohort from the TEDY trial, AOD was associated with slower AAA growth. Validation of these findings in other cohorts is needed.
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| 6. |
- Polzer, S., et al.
(författare)
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The Impact of Intraluminal Thrombus Failure on the Mechanical Stress in the Wall of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1078-5884 .- 1532-2165. ; 41:4, s. 467-473
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: The role of the intraluminal thrombus (ILT) in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture is controversial, and it is still not clear if an ILT increases or decreases AAA rupture risk. Specifically, signs of bleeding in the ILT are considered to increase AAA rupture risk. to further explore this hypothesis, intact AAAs (n = 4) with clear signs of fissures in the ILT, identified by computed tomography angiography (CTA) were investigated. Methods: Two different cases of ILT fissuring were investigated, where (1) ILT fissures were extracted directly from the CTA data and (2) a hypothetical fissure was introduced in the otherwise-intact ILT tissue. Wall stress distributions were predicted based on detailed Finite Element (FE) models. Results: ILT fissures extracted from CTA data locally increase the mechanical stress in the underlying wall by up to 30%. The largest impact on wall stress was observed if the ILT crack reaches the aneurysm wall, or if it involves large parts of the ILT. By contrast, a concentric failure in the medial ILT, which does not reach the aneurysm wall, has almost no impact on wall stress distribution. Hypothetical ILT fissures that connect the lumen with the wall cause a twofold increase of the stress in the underlying wall. Conclusions: ILT fissures increase the stress in the underlying wall, whereas regions other than that remain unaffected. If ILT fissures reach the wall or involve large parts of the ILT, the resulting increase in wall stress could possibly cause AAA rupture.
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| 7. |
- Singh, Tejas P., et al.
(författare)
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Effect of Telmisartan on the Peak Wall Stress and Peak Wall Rupture Index of Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms : An Exploratory Analysis of the TEDY Trial
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1078-5884 .- 1532-2165. ; 64:4, s. 396-404
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: This study was an unplanned exploratory analysis of a subset of participants from the Telmisartan in the Management of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (TEDY) trial. It aimed to assess the efficacy of the angiotensin 1 receptor blocker telmisartan in reducing abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) peak wall stress (PWS) and peak wall rupture index (PWRI) among individuals with small AAAs. Methods: Participants with AAAs measuring 35 - 49 mm in maximum diameter were randomised to receive telmisartan 40 mg or identical placebo in the TEDY trial. Participants who had computed tomography angiography performed at entry and at least one other time point during the trial (12 or 24 months) were included in the current study. Orthogonal AAA diameter, PWS, and PWRI were measured using previously validated methods. The annual change in PWS and PWRI from baseline was compared between participants allocated telmisartan or placebo using linear mixed effects models. These models were either unadjusted or adjusted for risk factors that were different in the groups at entry (p <.100) or systolic blood pressure (SBP) at one year. Results: Of the 207 participants recruited to TEDY, 124 were eligible for inclusion in this study. This study included 65 and 59 participants from the telmisartan and placebo groups, respectively. The PWS and PWRI were not significantly different in the two groups at baseline. Participants allocated telmisartan had a slower annual increase in PWS (-4.19; 95% CI -8.24, -0.14 kPa/year; p = .043) and PWRI (-0.014; 95% CI -0.026, -0.001; p = .032) compared with those allocated placebo after adjusting for risk factors. After adjustment for SBP at one year, telmisartan did not significantly reduce annual increases in PWS or PWRI. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that telmisartan limits the rate of increase in PWS and PWRI of small AAAs by reducing blood pressure.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Tong, J., et al.
(författare)
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Effects of Age on the Elastic Properties of the Intraluminal Thrombus and the Thrombus-covered Wall in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms : Biaxial Extension Behaviour and Material Modelling
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1078-5884 .- 1532-2165. ; 42:2, s. 207-219
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: The intraluminal thrombus (ILT) present in the majority of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) plays an important role in aneurysm wall weakening. Studying the age-dependent elastic properties of the ILT and the thrombus-covered wall provides a better understanding of the potential effect of ILT on AAA remodelling. Materials and methods: A total of 43 AAA samples (mean age 67 6 years) including ILT and AAA wall was harvested. Biaxial extension tests on the three individual ILT layers and the thrombus-covered wall were performed. Histological investigations of the thrombi were performed to determine four different age phases, and to correlate with the change in the mechanical properties. A three-dimensional material model was fitted to the experimental data. Results: The luminal layers of the ILT exhibit anisotropic stress responses, whereas the medial and the abluminal layers are isotropic materials. The stresses at failure in the equibiaxial protocol continuously decrease from the luminal to the abluminal side, whereby cracks, mainly oriented along the longitudinal direction, can be observed in the ruptured luminal layers. The thrombi in the third and fourth phases contribute to wall weakening and to an increase of the mechanical anisotropy of their covered walls. The material models for the thrombi and the thrombus-covered walls are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Conclusion: Our results suggest that thrombus age might be a potential predictor for the strength of the wall underneath the ILT and AAA rupture.
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| 10. |
- Tong, J., et al.
(författare)
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Gender Differences in Biomechanical Properties, Thrombus Age, Mass Fraction and Clinical Factors of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
- 2013
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Ingår i: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1078-5884 .- 1532-2165. ; 45:4, s. 364-372
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: The main purpose of the present study is the investigation of gender differences in the biomechanical properties, thrombus age, mass fraction and key clinical factors of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Materials and methods: A total of 90 AAA samples (78 males and 12 females) were harvested from open surgical aneurysm repairs. Biaxial extension and peeling tests were performed to characterise the biaxial mechanical responses and to determine dissection properties of both the intraluminal thrombi (ILTs) and the thrombus-covered walls. Relative thrombus age was determined by characterising the ILT histological microstructure. Mass fraction analyses quantified dry weight percentages of elastin and collagen within the AAA walls. Moreover, we statistically compared clinical factors between male and female. Results: The luminal layers of the female thrombi and the female AAA walls showed a significantly lower tissue stiffness (modulus) in the longitudinal direction when compared to males. Gender differences were also shown in the dissection properties of the intima media composite within the AAA walls, in which a statistically significantly lower energy to propagate a dissection was quantified for females than for males. Moreover, 82% of female thrombi were relatively older (ILT age phases III and IV), twice that of male thrombi (43%). A pronounced lower elastin content was identified for the intima media composites of male AAA walls, whereas female AAA walls had significantly lower dry weight percentages of collagen. Regarding clinical factors, nicotine pack years, serum creatinine and AAA expansion rate were found to be much higher for male patients. Conclusion: These findings may help to explain higher risks for AAA growth in males and the ruptures of smaller-sized AAAs in females.
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