Observations on anatomical aspects of the ureterovesical junction of the pig

The paper reports the anatomy of the ureterovesical junction in pigs without urinary tract disease and the changes that occur with ageing. In comparison with other mammals the pig has a long intravesical ureter. Its length increases with age, from a mean length of 5 mm. at birth to 36 mm. at maturity. The width of the ureteric orifice also increases with age. The ureteric orifice was horseshoe shaped in 96.5% of cases, the remaining orifices were stadium shaped. The delineation of the anatomy of the porcine UVJ is important in the study of porcine and human pyelonephritis as the pig urinary tract is widely used as a human model.