Mechano-Rheological Properties of the Murine Thrombus Determined via Nanoindentation and Finite Element Modeling

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is the formation of a thrombus, or blood clot, in one of the extremities, often in the vein of a leg. Approximately 2 million incidences of DVT occur annually [1]. Roughly 300,000 people die due to the development of a pulmonary embolism (PE), which occurs when the thrombus from a DVT relocates to the pulmonary artery. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is another life-threatening disease involving thrombi, resulting in 15,000 deaths annually. Increased life expectancy raises significant concern for AAA, as it generally affects people age 55 and older. Together, these diseases impinge over 2.5 million people each year. Determining the mechanical properties of thrombi, which can be platelet- and/or fiber-rich, and understanding how they dissociate or fail mechanically under fluid flow conditions, can help diagnose these diseases at an earlier stage in their progression, thereby providing time to initiate treatments. In addition, increased knowledge of thrombi properties can lead to the development of preventative drug therapies. Both of these outcomes have the potential to decrease the number of deaths from the aforementioned diseases.