Katri said:
>>Just to add to discussion about overprocessing. Even with availability
only
of one processor, many problems can be avoided by making sure the tissue
is
fixed well (minimum 12 -24 hours) before processing. But it seems the
turnaround time is so important, that tissues get thrown in the
processor
the same day the surgery is done with barely 3 to 6 hour fixation. That
is
when alcohols, xylene and heat can make tissue brittle and staining
quality
suboptimal.<<
 
That's why microwave fixation is a good thing to do.  I wish we had a
microwave here, but we don't... not enough beans in the pot, so to
speak.  But when my husband was running the EM facility here on campus,
he did all his fixations and processing in a microwave... he swears by
it.
 
Connie McManus
Utah Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratory
Utah State University
Logan, UT
Phone:  435/797-1891
fax: 435/797-2805
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Katri
Tuomala
Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2004 1:18 PM
To: Rush, Joyce; mari.ann.mailhiot@leica-microsystems.com
Cc: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: Re: [Histonet] (no subject)
 
There is a misconception, that small biopsies need shorter fixation, but
it
is not true, when considering processing artifacts. Formalin's
crosslinking
process takes longer than a few hours.
 
Katri Tuomala
Department of Pathology
St.Joseph's Health Care
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
----- Original Message ----- 
From: 
To: "Rush, Joyce" 
Cc: 
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 2:41 PM
Subject: Re: [Histonet] (no subject)
 
 
>
> Joyce
>
> If you have the luxury of  two processors you can process small bx's
on
one
> processor and the larges on another. In the lab I used to work at we
> processed small bx's in a separate enclosed processor. The times were
20
> minutes each station. Needle bx's have an even shorter processing time
of
> 10  minutes each station. When we processed bx's we were very carefull
> about not using heat or vacuum. It will cause the bx's to over harden.
Also
> make sure your last paraffin is solvent free. Hopefully the processor
has
> at least three paraffin's stations.
>
> The other thing that can affect processing is having too many 100%
> alcohols.  You can take the bound water out of the tissue by using too
> many. The specimens will be very dry and require a lot of soaking on
ice.
> Freida Carson recommends no more than two 100% alcohols in her Self
> Instructional Text book on Histotechnology. I have found this to be
very
> true.
>
> If you only have one tissue processor for both large specimens and
bx's a
> time of no longer than 45 minutes each station is recommended. Some of
the
> problems that may occur with this type of processing schedule is that
the
> large specimens may not be fixed long enough. If you have heat on any
> stations that heat will affect the small biopsies.
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> Regards
>
> Mari Ann Mailhiot BA HT ASCP
> Application Specialist
> Leica Technical Assistance Center
> 800 248 0123 x7267
> 847 236 3063 fax
> mari.ann.mailhiot@leica-microsystems.com
> www.leica-microsystems.com
>
>
>
>                       "Rush, Joyce"
>                                      To:

>                       Sent by:                              cc:
>                       histonet-bounces@lists.utsouth        Subject:
[Histonet] (no subject)
>                       western.edu
>
>
>                       06/11/2004 09:37 AM
>
 
>
>
>
>
>
> I am a Lab Manager, not a Histotech, and I need your help. We are a
general
> pathology practice and need to know what kind of processing cycles
others
> use for small bx's.  Currently our lab processes all tissues together,
> large and small, and therefore has much trouble with over processed
bx's.
>
> I would very much appreciate your guidance so that I can help our
histology
> area move forward.
>
> Thanks so much!
>
> Joyce
>
> Joyce A. Rush, BS, MT(ASCP)
> Laboratory Manager
> St Joseph's Medical Center
> 523 North Third Street
> Brainerd, MN  56401
> Office:218-828-7500   Fax:  218-828-7510
>
>
>
>
>
>
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