[Histonet] Breast processing

[María Teresa Domínguez]

   Well,  here  I  use  this  for  the  breast processing in the Tissue's
   processor:

   10% NBF x 2 jar,2 hours in each

   70% Ethanol x1 j, 1 hour and a half

   96% Alcohol x 3 jar ,1 hour and a half in each

   Acetone x 1 j,1 hour and a half

   Methil Alcohol x 1 jar,1 hour and a half

   N-Buthylic Acetate x 1 jar, 1 hour and a half

   Xileno x 1  jar,1 hour and a half

   Parafine 56ºC- 58ºC x 2 jar,2 hours and a half in each

   Embedding, and cut the pieces... That's all for me.   [i.p.emwink.gif]

   Ht. Maria Teresa Dominguez

   Anatomic Pathology Service

   Hospital Regional Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego,

   Argentina.

   From:  "Connie  McManus"  <convmcm <@t> cc.usu.edu> >To: "'Bliss, Mary E.'"
   <mary.bliss <@t> northwestpathology.com>,<histonet <@t> pathology.swmed.edu>
   >Subject:  RE:  [Histonet]  Breast  processing >Date: Mon, 10 May 2004
   15:31:07  -0600  >  >Mary,  my  heart goes out to you. I believe every
   histotech  in  the  world  >has  gone  through this same nightmare ---
   tissues  that  are  too  big  and  >not  properly  processed,  and the
   pathologist expects YOU, the histotech, >to produce perfect results. >
   >  >From your story, fixation may not be the only problem. 48 hours is
   >generally plenty of time for tissues to fix. But if there is a lot of
   >fatty tissue and not enough room for the fixative to work through the
   >tissue  (as in a tissue smushed up inside a processing cassette), you
   may >have a fixation problem compounded with a processing problem. The
   only  >solution is for the person trimming in the tissues to keep them
   between  >2  and  3  mm in thickness and to try to keep the length and
   width  >dimensions  to something less than that of the cassette. There
   should  >absolutely not be any tissue sticking out of the cassette nor
   should >there be imprints of the cassette on the tissue. > >As for the
   fat  in  your  tissues, if there was adequate processing, it >would be
   gone.  Alcohols, toluene, xylene and xyl substitutes do a good >job of
   that.  >  >There's  nothing quite like good reagent flow in and around
   the  tissue  >while  processing  ...  <sigh>  >  >Connie McManus >Utah
   Veterinary  Diagnostics  Laboratory  >Utah State University >Logan, UT
   >Phone:   435/797-1891   >fax:   435/797-2805   >   >   >-----Original
   Message-----      >From:     histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
   >[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]   On   Behalf   Of
   Bliss,   >Mary   E.   >Sent:   Monday,  May  10,  2004  1:19  PM  >To:
   histonet <@t> pathology.swmed.edu  >Subject: [Histonet] Breast processing >
   >Hi  All,  >  >  >  >How  do  other laboratorians prepare fatty breast
   specimens  for  >histology?  Are  you doing anything special? We had a
   case  today  which  >our doctor needs to have re-processed. It appears
   unfixed,  although  it  >sat  in  formalin  on  the processor over the
   weekend  before  it processed on >Sunday night. The sections are large
   (too  large  in my opinion) and not >adequately removed of fat. We are
   using  toluene on our processors and >have considered going to Xylene.
   We  have tried Penn fixx in the past, >but discontinued using it years
   ago. I know it is a complicated >subject, but just thought I would see
   if  anyone  has  any  bits of wisdom. > > > > > >Mary E. Bliss > >Lead
   Histologist  >  >Northwest  Pathology, P.S. > >3614 Meridian St. Suite
   100 > >Bellingham, WA 98225 > >(360)734-2800 x601 > >(360)734-3818 FAX
   >  >  > > > >_______________________________________________ >Histonet
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