-----Original Message-----
From: Colbert, Laurie 
Sent: Friday, March 17, 2000 2:14 PM
To: 'CMD1352@aol.com'
Subject: RE: H & E Staining problems


We have had staining and/or processing problems off and on for years, and we
are presently going through a very bad period where the problem is not
correcting itself (which it always has in the past).  Our sections have very
faded nuclei mainly around the edges and an overall hazy look. Several times
the pathologists have commented that the slides were too pink. 

For every theory we come up with, we can always disprove that theory.  We do
histology for five different hospitals, and the blocks are processed on
different processors.  Our processing schedules are pretty much the same on
each processor.  But when we have problems, we have problems with all of the
hospitals' blocks.

The main problem is with the small biopsies (skin, GI's, prostate needle
biopsies, cervical biopsies).  We think it may be an over-processing
problem, but when we got a demo processor so that we could set up a short
run for the biopsies, we still had problems.  The tissue looked better, but
not great.  One day the slides look as bad as they ever had.  Our routine
processing schedule is nine hours long.  We have one formalin, two PenFix,
three 100% alcohols, three xylenes, and three paraffins.  We use no heat
except on the paraffins.

We have approached the problem as a staining problem, but have pretty much
ruled this out.  When we sent our slides to other facilities for staining,
they still looked bad.

We are at a total loss.  Has anyone ever had water problems that caused this
problem?  We use tap water.

Laurie Colbert
Saint Joseph Medical Center
Burbank, Ca
(818) 557-5495 

 


-----Original Message-----
From: CMD1352@aol.com [mailto:CMD1352@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2000 7:27 PM
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: H & E Staining problems


Our laboratory uses an automated Leica stainer for H & E.  The pathologist 
has noticed several slides with weak staining around the periphery of the 
tissue section.  The stain is very weak just along the edge of the tissue.  
The rest of the tissue stains fine.  I checked the temperature of the slide 
dryer and found no problem.  Any ideas how to solve this problem?