Segmental force results for the aortic annulus and STJ from MS–MD are presented in Fig. 4 and summarized in Table 2. The total force acting in the STJ from MS–MD was significantly reduced in the double-ring group compared with the single-ring group from 1.7 ± 0.6 to 0.04 ± 1.1 N (P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in the total force at the aortic annulus (single ring: 6.7 ± 3.3 N; double ring: 6.6 ± 2.2 N, P = 0.94), nor any difference in the segmental forces in the aortic annulus. In the STJ, there was a reduced force in the RN and LR segments, but not in the LN segment after double ring compared with single ring. There was a significantly higher force in the LR segment compared with the 2 other segments in the aortic annulus within each group. In the STJ, there was no significant difference in force between segments within each group.