[Histonet] Extra slides, immunostainers

[JColCLEFA <@t> aol.com]

You are not alone! we routinely keep the "inbetweens" for IHC staining. 
They've saved many a life! Routine inbetweens include prostate, lung, any scant 
cytology cell block, kidney needles. One caveat- being a packrat, it breaks my 
spleen to throw them away, so I use them as test slides for certain antibody 
workups and to test protocols. 

we have 3 biogenex i 6000's and one biogenex optimax and run 200-400 slides a 
day M-F. We are a 2 person (that's right, 2 FTE's) 288 sq foot hospital based 
reference lab and our customers demand 12-24 hour TAT. We use all 
concentrated primary antibodies,( catalog of about 115) from various vendors. We run the 
machines up to 3 times a day. We have small issues now and again with the 
stainers, but troubleshooting and operator adjustment is easy and service when 
needed is prompt and competent. I would stay away from Ventana unless you like 
bad service (hey while doing a PM I accidentally cleared you hard drive- I have 
to go now but I'll sent somebody out in 2 weeks or so) , high sales pressure, 
sales reps who lie and refuse to answer straight questions with straight 
answers   (Me: how many slides can this instrument stain at once?   V: 230,000. 
---Oh- I thought you meant annually!   Me: really- how many per run? V: a run is 
a day, right?   Me: A run is a run. V:   What time do your docs leave?   Me: 
how does that affect the size of the slide carousel?   V: if the pathologists 
go home before the slides are done, then pressing go twice can count as one run 
right?   Me: thanks for your time, meeting is over.)      Thanks- you guys 
just saved me from some anger management therapy.     Summary? High volume rapid 
TAT lab =Biogenex and Dako I would recommend without hesitation. Ventana= 
headaches.
PS- I'm really not an angry person in real life