Elastodynamics of porous bi-phasic media: a model to study the mechanical properties of arterial tissue

Matching dynamic mechanical properties of an arterial vessel and those of an endothelialised artificial prosthesis, is one of the important factors for a successful implantation of vascular prostheses of small diameter. The continuum poroelastic model that describes the elastodynamic and elastosmotic properties of bi-phasic media has been shown to be relevant to study the mechanical dynamical behaviour of arterial tissue. A similar poroelastic model can be applied to the study of the response of hydrogel samples to external inputs. By mean of free swelling and stress relaxation experiments it is possible to account for the phenomena generated by the flow of interstitial liquid into the solid matrix with respect to the overall performance of the sample. The results of the study are discussed in order to design a prosthesis that may reproduce both the mechanical behaviour of the biological tissue and the extracellular “sloshing” through the neointima to a satisfactory extent.