Amy,

I not sure I'm understanding your question.  What do you have in mind?  The
idea is not to keep them in melted paraffin too long, so they should come
off the machine as soon as possible.

Your tissues should be fine kept at room temp as long as they are
infiltrated with paraffin.

Rande Kline HT (ASCP)
Technical Services
EM Science.




"Woodfin, Amy C" <AWoodfin@peacehealth.org> on 12/14/98 02:34:36 PM

To:   "'histonet@pathology.swmed.edu'" <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
cc:
Subject:  To embed or not to embed?




Hi folks,

Still on this wonderful RPI...no really it is!  The question has come up
whether it does any harm to the tissue to pull it out of the processor at
the end of the cycle and let them sit at room temperature for several hours
until they are embedded.  I can't find anything definitive in Carson,
Sheehan or AFIP.  Only references to crystalization of the paraffin.  There
is no mention if reheating the specimens several hours later and THEN
embedding them would have any ill effect.

I know we've always done it as soon as the processor if finished, but is
that the only way?  Any input?

Thanks!

Amy Woodfin
St. Joseph Hospital - Pathology
Bellingham, WA
(360) 738-6340