Buckling Behavior of Arteries Under Torsion

Arterial tortuosity is a phenomenon which is observed throughout the body and is associated with aging, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other vascular diseases [1]. Tortuous arteries significantly hinder blood flow which may lead to the development of atherosclerotic plaque buildup [2]. Blood vessels may also become twisted or demonstrate 3-D tortuous shapes when subject to large twist deformations such as during surgical implantation of vascular grafts, propeller flap procedures, stent-artery interactions, and sudden movements of the neck or limbs [4–6]. However, the twisting behavior of arteries is poorly understood.