Hi,
    When you ink the breast, I have seen institutions use some bouins
fixative to
mordant the ink to the tissue and firm up the surgical margin to insure smooth
cutting during grossing. To do this they blotted the ink on the marginal
surface
then poured the bouins fixative over the specimen and laid paper towels
over the
specimen to let it set into the tissue. after a couple minuets the paper towels
are removed and the ink is mordanted to the margin and it is firmed up so the
cutting is nice too.
    Also I have heard wonderful things about Penfix. It, being a formalin
fixative, should facilitate IHC nicely while also being an alcohol fixative
should firm the tissue up nicely. Although, I have not used it I'm sure some of
our knowledgeable Histonet friends should be able to expound on this further.
Amos Brooks

ScubaD100@aol.com wrote:

> We have discontinued performing frozen sections on breast lumpectomy
> specimens to check margins a while ago now in order to get a more accurate
> result from the permanent tissue blocks.  The pathologists are still cutting
> the specimens in the same day and were inquiring if there is a different
> technique available for fixing these fatty specimens.  We are currently
> inking the entire specimen following fixation in 10% NBF.  I have strongly
> encouraged cutting the sections as thin as possible so the tissue is properly
> fixed and the completed slide shows the true margin rather than exploded
> cellular debris from the waterbath.
> The pathologists were inquiring if there is a fixative or some other
> preparation method   which will help firm the tissue so they are able to take
> thinner sections at the grossing table.
> Greg Good
> Frye Regional Medical Center
> Hickory, NC  28601