Fig. 1

Elastic and collagen networks distribution in AAA and TAA. (a) Orcein staining shows a more important degradation of elastic network in AAA than in TAA. Sirius red staining indicates a fibrosis in AAA adventitia and also near atheroma. This staining also highlights the maintaining of the collagen network in TAA with small degradation areas known as cystic medial lesions (CML). (b) Elastic network is more degraded in AAA than in TAA (p = 0.003). There is not a significant difference between the collagen density of the both lesions. The difference is mainly qualitative. *p<0.1. **p<0.001. ***p<0.0001