> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Sharon Allen 
> Sent:	Monday, May 27, 2002 11:33 AM
> To:	histonet@pathology. swmed. edu (E-mail)
> Subject:	Muscle needle bx's
> 
> Hi,
> I would like information on doing needle bx's on muscles.  We are a
> Neuropathology Laboratory and have always done our muscle bx's using
> muscle clamps and freezing with isopentane/liquid nitrogen.  Because of
> the shortage of O.R. time caused by healthcare cutbacks (we have a 6 month
> waiting list), the neurologists are interested in doing needle bx's.  I
> have little to no information on freezing these specimens.  We are going
> to use the same needles used for renal bx's. I froze a couple of bx's
> using a piece of cork, a coverslip and OCT (have used this for primi
> babies muscle bx's), but this is very awkward. 
> I would appreciate any input into how to freeze these little guys, whether
> the bx's are taken down the muscle sheath or across, and the pro's and
> con's of this method.
> Thanks for any help you can give me.
> 
> Sharon Allen
> Neuropathology Lab
> Health Science Centre
> Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
> sallen@mb.sympatico.ca
>