Re: GI biopsy blues
Donna,
We process and cut large numbers of GI biopsies
daily in three group laboratories. Only one lab has a processor dedicated to GI
biopsies, the other labs process along with the routine surgicals. All three
sites sporadically have some days with microchatter(venetian blinding). All
sites use NBF for fixation, all use the same processing reagents, all cool the
blocks on ice trays, no ammonia water.
This cuttting artifact is independent of processing
times, it is seen more readily after short(less than 4 hours) fixation times in
NBF. After all, the shorter the time in NBF the greater the fixation in
processing alcohols! But the cause is still operator and workload
dependant.
The effect is mainly seen on very busy days
with technologists who are under pressure, either real or imagined, to 'get the
work out'. In every case, when the block has been re-cut and the same operator
instructed to cut SLOWLY, the microchatters have been absent!!
I would recommend that when any tech in your lab
has a microchatter episode with a case, carefull, SLOW, re-cuts of the
block will solve the problem.
Regards
Bryan
Bryan R. Hewlett
Technical Specialist
Department of Anatomical Pathology
Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine
Program.
Ontario, Canada
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 5:53
PM
Subject: GI biopsy blues
Hi Everyone,
I am faced with
some GI microchatter that has occurred recently. This is a sporadic
matter but as of this afternoon, I am currently ensued in a battle with my lab
manager over the soaking of blocks in ammonia water. She thinks everything
needs to be soaked, I say it is not necessary but she is insistent and I want
to change her mind. I see no need to expose myself to ammonia fumes
unecessarily.
I have one tech that soaks everything in ammonia water
and there is no difference between her slides and the ones I cut that are
faced and placed onto wet ice. I am literally at wits end regarding this
subject and do not want to submit to "ingesting" ammonia water if at all
possible. Are there any articles written on ways to prevent microchatter? One
last thing I should mention is that we process our GI biopsies along with our
other larger samples (breast, colon, thyroid, etc) and everything else comes
out looking great. I am not at work at the moment and can't remember our
processing schedule right of the top of my head but the solutions we are using
is as follows: formalin x2, 80% ETOH, 95% ETOH x2, ABS x3, xylene and of
course infiltrating with paraffin. I will post the exact scheduling and temps
later as I can't recall those now.
Any suggestions would be
appreciated! Thanks in advance,
Donna Barlow
Section Head, Raleigh
Community Hospital
<< Previous Message | Next Message >>