I was wondering if anyone who uses the histoscreen (mesh) cassettes is experiencing any problems with processing of the tissue.

We routinely use histoscreen cassettes for prostate needle biopsies (and other small biopsies).  We often get 6 specimens from the same patient, so we will have 6 cassettes.  Lately, we've been seeing one block out of the six that has not processed well.  Today we had a block with two cores, and one of the cores was fine but the second core was terrible.  My theory was that air bubbles were getting trapped in the cassettes and preventing the solutions from getting to the tissue.  We do get air bubbles in the cassettes and they will float, so we "swish" the blocks in formalin when we put them in the formalin holding bucket.  But we put eosin in our 95% alcohol and the cores are colored pink so I know that at least the alcohol is getting in.  Also, I can't explain why one core in a block would be fine and the second core is not.  I don't think this is a collection problem.

I would appreciate any feedback concerning this problem.

Laurie Colbert