Comparison of aortic residual strain from pigs of extreme age difference

Summary form only given. In the present study we have used aortas from fetal pigs (3 weeks prior to birth) and those from very old farm pigs (approximately 3 years old). Each intact aorta was removed from the animal (from aortic arch to iliac bifurcation). Aortas from fetal pigs were sliced into 31 to 46 consecutive rings with the location of each ring along the axis of the aorta recorded. Similarly the aortas from old pigs were sliced into 24 to 31 consecutive rings. We averaged the values of the residual strain for the rings within the 1-st third (anterior), 2-nd third (middle), and 3-rd third (posterior) regions of the entire aorta respectively. It was found that the residual strain has the highest value for the region ofthe aorta closest to the heart and the lowest value for the region closer to the bifurcation. Also in each region, the aortic residual strain for fetal pig is significantly greater than that of the old pig.