Donna:

We also get requests to release body parts to patients, including things
like whole legs, foot, placenta, etc.  Generally the small things, we put
into heal sealed bags and label the hazard - such as formalin hazard warning
or a biohazard warning if an unfixed specimen.  Futhermore, our policy is
that that we will release these only to the patient's physician and then
have the physician release whatever it is to the patient, so all requests
then come through a physician and become a physician.  Hence the physician
then assumes any liability issue should one occur down the line..  This has
2 benefits, first the physician than asumes more of a liability risk than we
do, and the physician also assumes the responsibility of educating the
patient as to biohardous or chemical hazardous conditions.  You'd be
surprised how many physicians have talked their patients out of any specimen
return and have settled for a picture of the specimen in lieu of the actual
specimen.