Dear Steve;

Your comments about fixation of fatty tissue may be true when using 
conventional microwaves, but the MILESTONE Systems have overcome this problem 
and fix and process tissue with high lipid content as well as any other type 
of tissue. Keep in mind, that these systems were developed for histopathology 
and are not modified kitchen technology which may explain their success.

Please feel free to direct any questions to us.

Best regards,

Elfi Hacker
HACKER Instruments & Industries Inc

Hi HistoNetters

Priscilla <pdelvent@wyoming.com> asked if microwave fixation might be
useful to speed up breast fixation.  Although breast tissue can be fixed in
a microwave, this is not the ideal application for a microwave device (as
anyone who has tried to cook any fatty food in a microwave oven can
attest).  Most fats and oils do not take up microwave energy.  Tissue with
a high lipid content poses a particular problem for laboratory microwaves,
particularly if it is not grossed into sufficiently thin (4mm or less)
sections.

I have to concur with Bob Richmond that nothing will substitute in such
cases for appropriate fixation.  In a real emergency, an alcoholic
fixative, like Microfix, which fixes and dedydrates at the same time, will
speed up the process, but it will not retain formalin-like morphology.

Best regards,
Steven Slap