Re: [Histonet] breast processing

From:Cheryl

Annette--
   
  Having run into this all over the place--there are several solutions (other than cutting thinner and processing longer) that come to mind....in order of simplicity:
   
  1. Have you seen the TALL plastic cassettes?  They come about twice as deep as traditional cassettes and give a lot more room for fat and yucky tissues. You'll have to police your grossers not to slack and cut thicker, and the sections will warp but if you hold them down while embedding this is a minor irritation, not a problem  You can use the cassettes to embed or switch to the shorter ones that take less storage space.  Most of the companies that make cassettes have these in at least one color and they are usefull for things you don't want to trim down for cross section (eyes), as well. 
   
  2. On really goopy breasts we used to double process.  This makes NO sense but it worked...you'll want to try it on some reserve signed out breast /fatty colon before trying it on current open cases.
   
  Instead of embedding the cassettes when they come off the machines, we re-ran them just as they were through the end of the process.  Redoing the last 100% alchohols, xylenes and again through the paraffins, WITHOUT taking off the original paraffins and then embedding them allowed for same day turnout (though late) but GOOD solid wax-impregnated sections.  We scheduled a special process program and rotated the solutions after taking the breast and fatty colon stuff off the machines to prevent any contamination to the next runs. 
   
  We've done this for large polyps and other medium sized tissues that didn't fix or process the first time into the middles as well--but please run a test first to make sure it will work for your variables.
   
  3. Another old-fashioned method is to use, instead of cassettes, the old metal perforated baskets and group your tissues.  They are like mini-petri dishes made out of metal and can hold a number of sections in one basket. find any tech who's been working for more than 25 years and they'll describe them to you better than this.  (remember paper tags, guys!!) You'll need to include a paper tag with the case number in pencil for ID.  These might be hard to find and will change your cassetting a bit but again--the tissues float more freely, have more solution in contact with the surface and are better processed for the effort.  Run these baskets through the purge cycle to clean or run under hot soapy water before using again...I have no idea if they are still being made but most old labs have a drawer full somewhere.  
   
  Hope this helps--
   
  Cheryl
   
  

"Featherstone, Annette"  wrote:
  Does anyone have any suggestions for better tissue processing for fatty tissue such as breast? We are experiencing insufficent dehydration, clearing and infiltration. 

 
  
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