Observations of fracture of the anconeal process of the ulna of swine.

Fractures of the anconeal process of 5 pigs ranging in age from 4 to 8 months were studied radiographically and histologically. Clinically, animals with a fracture of the anconeal process had a "tight," restricted gait. In pigs at 4.5 months of age, a radiolucent line through the base of the anconeal process was composed of fibrocartilage, fibrous connective tissue, and hyaline cartilage. Subperiosteal proliferation of woven bone was located along the cranial surface of the olecranon, adjacent to the base of the anconeal process. In older animals, the radiolucent line through the anconeal process contained variable amounts of fibrous connective tissue and fibrocartilage. The proliferation of subperiosteal bone at the base of the anconeal process formed a "buttress callus" which retained a radiolucent area between the callus and the proximal surface of the anconeal process. The latter region of radiolucency was continuous with the transversely oriented line that traversed the base of the anconeal process.