on 11/22/00 1:50 AM, Nader, Alexander at alexander.nader@wgkk.sozvers.at
wrote:

>> Our lab pathologist has asked me to investigate the
>> use of tissue dyes at the surgery stage in the O.R.
> 
> Never trust a surgeon ;-)
> 
> IMHO, normally in the O.R. nobody has the time to colour the specimen
> properly. We receive breast tissue marked with 3-4 sutures, the Long means
> Lateral, the Medium Medial, the short cranial and we (Pathologists) apply
> the dyes in our grosssing room. A photograph of the specimen helps a lot (we
> use a digital cam for this reason), but you can use also a cheap digital
> scanner for this (see Trevor Beer's letter in the Am J Surg Pathol
> 24:1170-1;2000).
> 
> We recently changed our dyes to Hauptner's ink for tattooing cattle and
> sheep (www.hauptner.de) with very good results. As their dyes are on a
> gel-like basis they are much easier to apply and after 1-2 min drying they
> do not wash out. They are also very cheap, 75 ml are about 7.50 Euro.
> 
> Alexander Nader
> Vienna
> 
> 
The OR is not the place to mark the surgical margins.  The tissue should be
carefully dried before applying the ink to prevent running.  A fresh
specimen handled hurriedly does not produce the best results.  It's also
better if the ink is smeared that I'm the one who does it and knows where it
is smeared.  I really prefer the suture marking system or  a simple diagram.

John McClure