Aneurismal Arteries are Vulnerable to Mechanical Buckling

Rupture of aneurysms is a leading cause of death in the United States. Extensive biomechanical studies have shown that mechanical stress in aneurysm walls plays a critical role in the rupture of aneurysms. Highly elevated local stress and degraded aneurismal walls are believed to make aneurysms vulnerable to rupture [1–3]. Asymmetric aneurysms with irregular shape and wall thickness are vulnerable to rupture. Aneurismal arteries are often tortuous such as in the Loeys-Dietz syndrome [4], but the mechanism is unclear.