Hi Everyone,
Unfortunately, we have also had this problem recently, when the numbers
washed off of 18 G.I. Biopsy cassettes.  We were and still are using the
Secureline Markers.  We contacted the manufacturer of both the Secureline
markers and Sakura's Nancy Klemme.  We were also using the Sakura brand of
Histoscreen cassettes.  The Secureline marker representative told us that
the markers are guaranteed not to wash off in alcohol or xylene but there
are not guarantees about xylene and alcohol together, as there always is in
the processor.  The steps that we have taken to trying to prevent this from
happening are:
1.  Ordered a cassettee marker 
2.  Made markers a Critical Supply. so that each lot number is checked on an
empty cassettes before being made available to the techs to use.
3.  We had over 200 markers in our gross room, so now we only use one lot
number at a time.  No, throwing them back into the drawers when they don't
work well anymore.  We also write the names of the patient's on the side of
the cassette.

We sent back our 200 markers to Secureline to do research on, but we have
yet to hear from them about the results.  So, we are waiting to have our new
cassette labeler delivered and in place asap.  

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	WeissHouse@aol.com [SMTP:WeissHouse@aol.com]
> Sent:	Monday, June 07, 1999 9:56 PM
> To:	HistoNet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject:	cassettes
> 
> i have been hearing about cassette numbers washing off lately.  anyone
> else 
> having this problem?  what pen is being used by the majority of histonet 
> users? it seems that the cassettes from sakura are smoother than usual,
> any 
> response ? looking into marking systems. any suggestions?  are any of you 
> histonetters having this problem and what do you attribute to it ?