[Histonet] Regulations regarding placenta retention - when NO T sent to lab

[Luck, Greg D.]

Sue,

This would not appear to be a lab issue if they are not submitted to lab for
a path exam.  When this question arose here I sent it on to nursing, Risk
Management and the OBGYN committee.  Specimen retention requirements for the
lab are well defined.  If a specimen is not submitted to the lab, in my
opinion it should be quickly discarded by the dept of origin.  Be careful
not to let your lab become a repository for specimens that the physicians
want to hold.  If the placenta is important enough to hold then it should be
submitted for a path exam.  If not it should be discarded as "medical waste"
with the other disposables that are generated or accumulate during a
delivery.  Good luck.

Greg Luck, BS, HT(ASCP)
Anatomic Pathology Supervisor
Deaconess Medical Center
800 W. 5th Ave
Spokane, WA 99204
Phone 509.473.7077
Fax 509.473.7133
luckg <@t> empirehealth.org



-----Original Message-----
From: O'Brien, Sue [mailto:histo <@t> bthosp.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 6:35 AM
To: 'histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu'
Subject: [Histonet] Regulations regarding placenta retention - when NOT
sent to lab


I was wondering if there were any specific regulations regarding how long
Maternity must keep placenta's that do not meet our hospital's criteria to
be sent to the lab for Pathologist evaluation. I am aware of the CLIAA -88
and CAP regulations, but they apply to specimens submitted to the lab.
Thank-you for any insight, website, or information you are willing to share,

Susan O'Brien, Histology Supervisor

Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital

Cape May Court House, NJ 

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