[Histonet] grossing tools

[Bill B.]

At 5:38 PM +0000 2/12/13, Bruce Gapinski wrote:
>    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.<<

A bane indeed, not only for histotechs, but for those doing the grossing. Our big problem is breast biopsies. The combination of fat and fibrous tissue makes it hard (impossible) to get consistent thicknesses manually. 

I have been trying to find some kind 'jig' that would hold inked breast biopsies of widely varying sizes that could guide the knife as the biopsy is bread-loafed to get consistent thicknesses. I'm not sure what words to look for or search for. 

OTOH, given our difficulty in getting paid for the tech component (we are an independent lab, long used to global billing), I dont want to spend a fortune for something. 

All advice is super-greatly appreciated. 

Bill

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Bill Blank, MD
Heartland Lab