Ventana dispenser leakage has caused major inconveniences to us. We first became aware of the problem last July although admittedly it may have begun earlier without our recognizing it. I can't tell you how many times we have been forced to repeat ihc stains because soem slides had the wrong pattern of staining for the marker(s) used which shakes your confidence in the whole run. Although the vendor has been cooperative in crediting us for reagent loss, this doesn't compensate for the lost labor of repeats or the pathologist unhappiness with delayed turnaround times. I think that it is critical that you are viewing your every slide before turning in to avoid loss of pathologist confidence in your work. If one slide on a case doesn't look right, repeat the whole case. 

We have decided to change instrumentation to avoid this problem, which given this company's exhorbitant price structure, makes the protracted dispenser problem intolerable.


Vinnie Della Speranza
Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services
Medical University of South Carolina
165 Ashley Avenue
Suite 309
Charleston, SC  29425
ph:  (843) 792-6353
fax: (843) 792-8974