A compliant aortic model for in vitro tests produced by 3D printing and molding

The goal of this work is to manufacture a silicone model of the human aorta, which is able to mimic both the geometrical and the mechanical properties of physiopathological individuals, with a specific focus on reproducing the compliance. A parametric design of the aorta is obtained based on both available literature data and additional data collection, and the aortic model is manufactured with a specific silicone mixture, using 3D printing and molding. The manufactured prototype has been tested by means of computed tomography scans, to evaluate the matching of the mechanical properties with the desired ones. Results show a high degree of adherence between the goal compliance and the measured one for each aortic section. Thus, our work demonstrates the possibility to manufacture compliant models that reproduce the mechanical behavior of the aorta for in vitro tests.