Cutting characteristics of biological soft tissues

This study aims at understanding cutting characteristics of biological soft tissues. It focuses on cutting mechanics and tissue responses to cutting. A cutting apparatus is used which is capable of cutting biological soft tissues at specified cutting speeds and measuring cutting forces under given tissue holding conditions. With the porcine ascending aortas as specimen tissues, the study reports cutting forces, local stiffness, and fracture toughness of the tissues during cutting. Discussion is provided to further explore the effects of tissue holding force and holding distance on the cutting forces and energies, and on tissue bulging at the deformation phase.