The effect of stress/strain and fatigue fracture sites on durability of modular aortic endografts and arterial walls

动脉瘤性疾病是一种年龄相关的现象。西方人口的平均预期寿命在100年内翻了一番，因为可预防和可治疗疾病的死亡人数减少了，慢性病和不治之症的寿命延长了。与之前的预测相反，较老的社区(65岁)继续活跃和富有成效。由于社区疾病模式的变化，出现了动脉瘤性疾病。与许多其他疾病一样，预防动脉瘤性疾病是最有效的方法，因为80%的破裂会导致死亡。腔内移植提供了一种侵入性小得多的手术，并提供了一种吸引人的、优雅的替代开放手术的方法。危险在于，由于缺乏强度和设备耐用性不足，结构强度将因故障而受损。最实用的内移植物是由模块建立起来的，但正在确定受疲劳和破坏力影响的脆弱位置，特别是在管道分成两个流出通道--分叉--并连接的地方。为了改进和保护当前的设备，并为未来的设备提供声音工程，我们需要知道这些力的性质、大小和位置。与医学专家Cook Aust、高级流体动力学实验室(CSIRO，Melb.)西澳大学联合了一个多学科团队，致力于下一代腔内装置和经皮植入装置的设计和耐用性。虽然澳大利亚处于发展的前沿，但它目前在市场上的地位只能通过进一步的产品开发来维持。优化和改进腔内植骨将减少大手术的痛苦，同时以侵入性小得多的手术延长更高的生活质量，其长期有效性和接受度取决于可靠的耐用性。

Aneurysmal disease is an age related phenomenon. The mean life expectancy of western populations has doubled in 100 years because of the reduction in deaths from preventable and treatable diseases, and prolongation of life with chronic and incurable diseases. The older community (>65 years) continues to be active and productive contrary to prior predictions. Aneurysmal disease has emerged as a result of the changing pattern of diseases in the community. As with many other diseases, prophylaxis against aneurysmal disease is the most effective approach since 80% of those that rupture will result in death. Endoluminal grafting provides a much less invasive procedure and provides an attractive and elegant alternative to open surgery. The danger is that structural strengths will be compromised with failures due to lack of strength and inadequate device durability. The most practical endografts are those that are built up from modules but vulnerable sites affected by fatiguing and disruptive forces are being identified, in particular where a tube divides into two outflow channels – the bifurcation - and joins. To improve and protect the current device, and enable sound engineering for future devices, we need to know the nature, magnitude and location of these forces. The existing collaboration with medical specialist, Cook Aust., the Advanced Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (CSIRO, Melb.) and University of WA combines a multidisciplinary team working towards the design and durability of the next generation of endoluminal devices and percutaneous insertions. While Australia is at the forefront of development, its current place in the market can only be maintained by further product development. Optimising and improving endoluminal grafts will reduce the suffering of major surgery while prolonging a higher quality of life with a much less invasive procedure whose long-term effectiveness, and thereby acceptance is dependent upon reliable durability.