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.
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

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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