We got a new PAP staining tech and suddenly had problems with cornflaking.

I watched her procedure. When coverslipping she would take 5 slides from the xylene, drop mounting medium on each and then coverslip.

By the time she got to the 3rd slide, the xylene had mostly evaporated. The last 3 slides consistently had cornflaking.

Assuming it was the air drying of the xylene I had her do one slide at a time ad the artifact disappeared and we have not had a problem since.

Bill

PS, Dr. Gill, would you please email me a copy of your paper. Thank you.

-----Original Message-----
From: WWmn916@aol.com [mailto:WWmn916@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2003 8:52 PM
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: Cornflaking paps

Anyone have any thoughts why paps would show cornflaking artifact? I've seen it on H+E's and some special stains every now and then but never on paps. The tech told me that she "fiddled" around with the automated staining program as the slides hung on the staining arm....she said there was a chance the slides may have dried out before beginning the staining process.  These are thin prep slides.  Thoughts are welcome and appreciated.  (I learn soooo much on this website. Thanks everyone!!)

I'll probably do some of my own experimenting with this but I love the information I can pool together from the histonet too.

Deb King, HT (ASCP)

Sacramento, CA

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_____________________________
Bill Blank
http://kernunnos.com (Celtic studies and numismatics)