Dear Jennifer, If your biopsies are cutting as you describe, then either
they are over-heated, over-processed or under-fixed. We use a number of
"short cycles", depending on circumstances and tissue types. You need to
determine what you have and therefore what you need, to process tissue
well. If you have a well fixed (24 hours) 1-2mm biopsy specimen then a
2-3 hour cycle will do nicely. The cycle length will also depend upon
the processing technology you have at hand. If you use a Leica TP1050,
VIP1000, 2000, 3000, or a Shandon PathCentre, etc, then the pressure,
vacuum , heat and circulation options will reduce times. It will also
depend upon how often you change your reagents in the processor.  Listed
below are the "short cycles" we use on our Leica TP1050's.
N.B. We have 2 TP1050's called Ken & Barbie, its odd but Ken does our
breast/ fatty runs and Barbie does all the rest of the work.

For the Leica TP1050 tissue processors, Ken and Barbie, (both have same
menu).

Program 1. 2 Hour rapid processing cycle, for very small biopsies, well
fixed.
(Run time = 2 hours )

Reagent			Minutes	Temp  °C	P/V		Drain
Stirrer
10% aqueous formalin	0		50		P/V
80 sec.		on
10% aqueous formalin	0		50		P/V
80 sec.		on
Absolute alcohol		5		50		P/V
80 sec.		on
Absolute alcohol		5		50		P/V
80 sec.		on
Absolute alcohol		5		50		P/V
80 sec.		on
Absolute alcohol		5		50		P/V
80 sec.		on
Absolute alcohol		18		50		P/V
80 sec.		on
Xylene					5		50
P/V		80 sec.		on
Xylene					5		50
P/V		80 sec.		on
Xylene					19		50
P/V		80 sec.		on
Paraffin wax				5		62
P/V		120 sec.		on
Paraffin wax				5		62
P/V		120 sec.		on
Paraffin wax				12		62
P/V		120 sec.		on

Program 2. 3 Hour rapid processing cycle, small biopsies, just about
fixed.
(Run time = 3 hours 00 minutes)

Reagent			Minutes		Temp °C 	P/V
Drain		Stirrer
10% aqueous formalin	5		50			P/V
80 sec.		on
10% aqueous formalin	19		50			P/V
80 sec.		on
Absolute alcohol		5		50
P/V 		80 sec.		on
Absolute alcohol		5		50
P/V		80 sec.		on
Absolute alcohol		5		50
P/V		80 sec.		on	
Absolute alcohol		10		50
P/V		80 sec.		on
Absolute alcohol		20		50
P/V		80 sec.		on
Xylene					5		50
P/V		80 sec.		on
Xylene					10		50
P/V		80 sec.		on
Xylene					25		50
P/V		80 sec.		on
Paraffin wax				5		62
P/V		120 sec.	on	
Paraffin wax				10		62
P/V		120 sec.	on
Paraffin wax				25		62
P/V		120 sec.	on
 

For the Leica TP1050 tissue processors, Ken and Barbie.

Program 3. 3 ½ Hour processing cycle, routine colonic bx's etc..
(Run time = 3 hours 30 minutes)

Reagent				Minutes		Temp °C	P/V
Drain	Stirrer
10% aqueous formalin	5			50
P/V		80 sec.	on
10% aqueous formalin	17			50
P/V		80 sec.	on
Absolute alcohol		5			50
P/V		80 sec.	on
Absolute alcohol		5			50
P/V		80 sec.	on
Absolute alcohol		10			50
P/V		80 sec.	on
Absolute alcohol		15			50
P/V		80 sec.	on
Absolute alcohol		25			50
P/V		80 sec.	on
Xylene					5			50
P/V		80 sec.	on
Xylene					20			50
P/V		80 sec.	on
Xylene					25			50
P/V		80 sec.	on
Paraffin wax				5			62
P/V		120 sec.	on
Paraffin wax				15			62
P/V		120 sec.	on
Paraffin wax				25			62
P/V		120 sec.	on

Hope this is of use, David.

David Taylor
Laboratory Manager
Drs King & Mower
Adelaide, Australia


-----Original Message-----
From: Jennifer Englin 
Sent: Saturday, 29 September 2001 06:01
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: biopsy runs


We are interested in trying out some short biopsy runs on our tissue
processor.  We have tried a couple of different runs and our GI biopsy
are dry and chatter when we cut them.

If you have a good processing schedule that seem to work well can you
please fax it to me.

Thanks in advance!!!!!

PS:  I Had a great time in Charlotte-  Thanks everyone for all the hard
work you did and especially thanks to those who had the courage to come.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Englin HT(ASCP), PA
Rice Memorial Hospital 
Willmar, MN 
Fax #(320)231-4503
Phone#(320)231-4574