Endoscopy Case Study

Courtesy of Dr. Timothy McCarthy
Surgical Specialty Clinic for Animals
Beaverton, Oregon

Ununited Anconeal Process Removal With Arthroscopy

A six year old neutered male Neopolitan Mastiff was presented for a left front leg lameness for four weeks. He had had previous surgery for an ununited anconeal process of the right elbow in 1995 and for OCD of the left shoulder in 1996. He had been doing well until four weeks ago. A left front leg lameness was present at the time of examination with marked pain and joint capsule distension of the left elbow.

Figure 1		Figure 2

Radiographs of the left elbow revealed a large displaced ununited anconeal process fragment (Figure 1) and a smaller medial free joint body (Figure 2).

Figure 3		Figure 4

Arthroscopy of the left elbow was performed and the free anconeal process fragment (Figure 3) and the medial joint body removed. The anconeal process fragment and the medial joint body are shown in figure 4. The anconeal process fragment measured 2.5cm long, 2.0cm wide, and 1.5cm high. The medial joint body was one cm in diameter.