Soft, sensor-embedded cerebral aneurysm benchtop model towards biomechanical studies of rupture risks

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

1-1-2025

Abstract

In a cerebral aneurysm, a section of the brain artery weakens, which causes the artery to bulge under pressure. The condition can be fatal as it may rupture and lead to severe internal bleeding. In the past, computational modelling methods have been applied to study rupture risks of cerebral aneurysms. However, computational simulations rely on simplified, rigid artery walls. Few studies have investigated experimental, benchtop methods, but have been restricted to two-dimensional measurements. To overcome these limitations, we introduce an innovative approach to use arrays of soft sensors embedded into a soft, biomimetic aneurysm model and apply pulsatile blood flow conditions to study biomechanical parameters, including strain, pressure, and flow rate, posing potential rupture risks. We fabricated an aneurysm model to match the geometry and mechanics of a native artery. Three resistive strain sensors are fabricated via printing and laser cutting to be embedded into the aneurysm region to unobtrusively detect strain in the aneurysm and artery walls. Results indicate regions of high strain in cerebral aneurysms due to flow circulation. Notably, the embedded sensors identify biomechanical differences in cerebral arteries with and without aneurysms, where normal arteries demonstrated less strain. Collectively, the studies on model fabrication and embedded sensor design offer a promising route to study cerebral aneurysm biomechanics.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Proceedings of SPIE the International Society for Optical Engineering

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