[Histonet] Re: grossing tools

[Bob Richmond]

Bruce Gapinsk HT (ASCP), Chief Histologist, Marin Medical
Laboratories, PathGroup SF asks:

>>Histonians, I'm sure we are not the only histology lab that deals with thick grossed specimens. Has anyone tried the new gross tools by Sakura? Or anything else that can cut ONE nickel thick. Tired of reprocessing.<<

This grumpy old (74) pathologist would be happy to try them out,
though I can cut freehand and almost never have a block reprocessed,
but the skill eludes a lot of the young folks. Do you have a Web link
for these tools?

The problem would be getting a lab manager to spring for them. The
Laboratory Manager's Handy-Dandy Guide to Making Life Hard for the
Pathologist (I'm sure  there is such a book, though I haven't actually
seen one) specifies that grossing is a ritual requiring only a basic
set of tools.

One lab expected me to gross with an athame and chalice. I tried to
explain to them that OSHA and the CAP would not permit me to gross
skyclad.

(You guys know I NEVER exaggerate.)

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Maryville TN