We use the Shandon Biopsy Bags for small bits, pastes etc.  To get the
tissue in we stick the bag over the base of a powder funnel and pour the
liquid and contents through the funnel.  If there is a residue in the pot we
just add water and pour through again.  This method is very good when you
have lots of small fragments mixed up with blood.  We use powder funnels
because the stem has a wider bore.

If we only have a very few tiny pieces then we hand process.

Andy Shand


----- Original Message -----
From: Steve Machin UK <stevemachinuk@yahoo.co.uk>
To: Histonet Histonet Histonet <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2001 2:26 PM
Subject: Re processing Tiny Biopsies, esp. paste like material


> I have a trick to share with you which enables us to process tiny
> fragments of tissue too small to pick up.
> CellPath sell biowrap paper which remains stiff after processing and
> will hold tiny fragments of material, e.g. bone marrow aspirates.
> The paper is made for wrapping small samples and I'm sure other
> people sell similar material.
>
> 1. Cut the end off a plastic dropping pipette.
> 2. Suck up the tissue fragments.
> 3. SLOWLY drop the sample onto the biowrap paper which is placed onto
> a dowmflow bench or a wad of absorbant material.  The excess fluid
> will be drawn away and leave the sample in a small spot.  The slower
> you do this the smaller the spot will be.
> 4. Wrap up the paper and process.
> 5. At embedding, unwrap the paper and make sure the wax on it remains
> molten.
> 6. Keep a mold hot and put in the paper specimen-side-down.
> 7. Keep the mold hot until the wax is melted both above and below the
> paper, add a little wax to the mold at this stage.
> 8. This is the hard bit.  When melted, quickly transfer the mould and
> paper to the cold plate and press the paper into the mould with one
> finger. AS SOON as the wax begins to set, peel the paper off the
> mould and, hey presto, all the tiny bits of tissue are stuck to the
> mould and not the paper.
> 9. Add more wax to the mould and remelt.  Allow the bits to settle to
> the bottom on the mould and then set the block ready for sectioning.
> 10. Make sure the microtome chuck is perfectly aligned or you you
> will trim away the sample.  For a tip on aligning the mircotome chuck
> see my homepage on histonet.
>
> Best Wishes
> Steve Machin UK
>
> ____________________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.y