Biomechanical wall properties of human intracranial aneurysms resected following surgical clipping

Background and Purpose-- Individual rupture risk assessment of intracranial aneurysms is a major issue in the clinical management of asymptomatic aneurysms. Aneurysm rupture occurs when wall tension exceeds the strength limit of the wall tissue. At present, aneurysmal wall mechanics are poorly understood and thus, risk-assessment involving mechanical properties is inexistent. Additionally, aneurysmal computational hemodynamics usually makes the assumption of rigid walls, an arguable simplification. We therefore aim to assess mechanical properties of ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms in order to provide the foundation for future patient-specific aneurysmal risk assessment. This work will also challenge some of the currently held hypotheses in computational flow hemodynamics research.