What we do is use a small filter funnel with a large bore stem (powder
funnel) of about 10 mm in diameter.  This is inserted in the mouth of the
bag.  Bag and funnel can then be held in one hand and tissue fragments
poured in with the other.  As the bag drains well it it easy to top up the
specimen container as many times as is neede to get all the tissues into the
bag.

The bags become almost translucent after processing so it's relatively easy
to find all the fragments when embedding.

Andy Shand

----- Original Message -----
From: 
To: 
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2001 5:24 AM
Subject: nylon embedding bags?


> Karen Dulany asked about nylon embedding bags.
>
> Curiously enough, I've just encountered these bags for the first time in
my
> locum tenens travels, in the Cayman Islands of all places. As Richard
> Rodriguez noted, they're offered by Shandon through Scientific Products.
They
> come in three sizes. The smallest fits into an ordinary cassette. They are
> called Shandon Tissue Bags. I do not know what they cost, since Good
> Management has come to Cayman and all catalogs are consequently locked up
in
> the lab manager's office.
>
> Grossing without an assistant, I have not been too pleased with them. They
> are hard to hold open and get specimens into, and are real time-wasters
for
> that reason. With an assistant to hold the bags open or bag the specimens,
> they might be more practical. The histotechnologist here has not found it
> necessary to staple the bags or write on them, as the directions suggest.
He
> does tear the bags open. I haven't watched him embed.
>
> Here are the directions and the catalog numbers from the package.
>
> Shandon Tissue Bags (last ordered July 2000 here.)
>
> Boxes of 1000 small size bags, 67740010. (They also offer standard size
> 67740009, and large size 67740011).
>
> 1. Only use once.
> 2. Use a pencil to label the bag with the specimen number.
> 3. Hold open neck of bag.
> 4. Insert tissue into bag.
> 5. Fold over top edge of bag and close with staple.
> 6. After processing remove staple.
> 7. Hold each side of the bag and pull the sides outward tearing the sides
of
> the bag.
> 8. Remove tissue and discard bag.
>
> Bob Richmond
> Samurai Pathologist
> Knoxville TN
>