Penfix

<< Previous Message | Next Message >>
From:"Lott, Robert" <Robert.Lott@bhsala.com> (by way of histonet)
To:histonet@histosearch.com
Reply-To:
Content-Type:text/plain; charset="us-ascii"


Penfix is 10% NBF in a 70% alcohol mixture, which includes ethanol,
methanol, isopropanol, and hexone(straight from the MSDS).   The alcohol
component is similiar to, but slightly different from, their FLEX mixture(s)
which is just isopropanol and methanol.  I know this for a fact because the
president of the company told me this years ago!  There are no other
hazardous chemicals listed on the MSDS.

From this you can see that the fixation mechanisms involved are mixed... a
coagulative one with the alcohol and additive one with the formalin.

From my personal experience, and I have used it for 10 years, it is a
fantastic product!   Our specimens usually arrive in aqueous 10% NBF but
when grossed, with the exception of small biopsies (GI, cervix, etc.),
everything goes directly into Penfix for the balance of the day before
loading onto the processor.  Additionally, the first three stations on our
VIPs are Penfix.  It is wonderful for breast and bowel specimens in that
they are being fixed and dehydrated at the same time... and rarely do we
have to re-process anything (with the exception of the occasional breast
specimen squeezing through the cassette lid).

H&Es, special stains and immunocytochemistry are seemingly unaffected.
ER/PR/Her-2 staining is beautiful!

I have no vested interests here... I am only a satisfied customer!

Robert Lott, HTL(ASCP)
Baptist Health System
Birmingham, AL




<< Previous Message | Next Message >>