I think that most of the smaller labs I work in retain wet (formalin fixed) 
tissue for about a month, maybe a little longer.

I find I need to return to month-old cases sufficiently often that I like to 
see a lab retain tissue for about six weeks. It's rarely practical to retain 
it longer. Pathologists should remember to designate cases for which longer 
retention is needed at the time they sign the case out.

A surprising number of labs retain empty bottles from the cases in which all 
tissue is processed at the time of grossing. I think this is unnecessary. If 
it simply must be done, the empties should be bagged and retained separately.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN