Uniform Transmural Strain in Pre-Stressed Arteries Occurs at Physiological Pressure

Abstract

Residual deformation (strain) exists in arterial vessels, and has been previously proposed to induce homogeneous transmural strain distribution. In this work, we present analytical formulations that predict the existence of a finite internal (homeostatic) pressure for which the transmural deformation is homogenous, and the corresponding stress field. We provide evidence on the physical existence of homeostatic pressure when the artery is modeled as an incompressible tube with orthotropic constitutive strain-energy function. Based on experimental data of rabbit carotid arteries and porcine coronary arteries, the model predicts a homeostatic mean pressure of ~90 mmHg and 70-120 mmHg, respectively. The predictions are well within the physiological pressure range. Some consequences of this strain homogeneity in the physiological pressure range are explored under the proposed assumptions.