We utilize the Thin Prep technique on all our body fluids. On some specimens we additionally perform a cytospin prep and stain it with a wright's stain. We also use the HistoGel method for the remainder of our fluids. We spin it down and add one or two drops of the HistoGel, cool it and transfer it directly into our cassette for tissue processing along with the rest of the day's workload. You don't need sponges or lens paper. The HistoGel doesn't dissolve but holds the bell button intact.  From my experience if the fluid is very bloody you lose some of the specimen in the processing and staining if it's just treated with formalin. Hope this helps.
 
Ben Shelkowsky HTL(ASCP)
CHOMP
Monterey, CA 93950

	-----Original Message----- 
	From: Dawson, Glen [mailto:GDawson@Milw.Dynacare.com] 
	Sent: Mon 6/30/2003 12:13 PM 
	To: Therersa Stegall; HISTONET@pathology.swmed.edu 
	Cc: 
	Subject: RE: Wow! I recently subscribed to this list so that our lab coul dhave access/input from other working
	
	

	Theresa,
	
	Spin them down and use histogel to clump the cells together.  Wrap the
	cell-filled histo-gel in lens paper, put it in a cassette & process as
	usual. 
	
	Good Luck,
	
	Glen D.
	
	-----Original Message-----
	From: Therersa Stegall [mailto:STEGTM@samcstl.org]
	Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 10:33 AM
	To: HISTONET@pathology.swmed.edu
	Subject: Wow! I recently subscribed to this list so that our lab could
	have access/input from other working
	
	
	Wow!  I recently subscribed to this list so that our lab could have
	access/input from other working histotechs.  After I sifted and deleted
	quite a few emails, I can see that the list is an interesting place.
	Guess I'll step up and introduce myself:  I work in a medium-sized
	hospital path lab; surgicals, endos, cytologys, et al.... We stain
	routinely Harris regressive H&E, do frozen sections as needed daily, do
	not have any PA's, have 5 pathologists who rotated gross sectioning
	throughout the day, 4 histotechs, one accessionist/lab assistant.  We
	fight over things almost daily, being human and all, shakily work as a
	team, but our turnaround time is one day for routine surgicals and
	biopsies.  We don't care if this is statistical, normal, or anything
	else resembling standardly deviant behavior; it works for us, and keeps
	the surgeons and pathologists from bothering us too much. 
	  I subscribed to this list for input/information (as previously
	stated): a question: What do you (at large) use to help coagulate thin
	fluids (eg. pleural, acites, peritoneal, etc.) that are not "chunky" nor
	gelatinous so that a cell block may be obtained.  The pathologists are
	just not satisfied with only cytospins anymore, and if the pathologists
	aren't happy.....
	We cannot use Carnoy's anymore (no ether allowed), and I don't like the
	mess involved with agar, and am zoophobic in messing with that!   Any
	quick, clean suggestions (have any of you had success with just adding a
	few drops of formalin before centrifuging) ???  I'll be waiting to
	hear.
	                                                     Peace,   Terre
	
	

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