[Histonet] Cryostat disposable blades

[Stephen Peters M.D.]

 We  use accu edge and have found them to work well. I could not resist offering this excerpt from my frozen section tutorial. 

 

I find that I always get my best quality section with a new sharp blade.  I think some of 

the places we try to save money in medicine are a bit "pound foolish". Your

 patients surgery is costing thousands of dollars. Hundreds of dollars are spent 

on disposables including lap pads, gloves, sponges, drapes, cautery, needles, needle magnets, BP cuff, IV tubing, ……..We are conserving pennies on what may be the

 most important decision impacting on the procedure. Yet some will risk quality by trying 

to get "20 shaves" out of a disposable blade.

In my practice I treat every patient to a new section of blade. I will change it as soon as 

my section quality begins to fall. Some tissues such as tough collagenous tissues or 

calcified tissues will quickly dull the blade. If I'm having trouble getting a good section 

with a new blade on occasion I have changed to a second  new blade and easily

 prepared a quality section.

  

 Safety Tip   If you cut yourself on a blade used on only one patient, you will

 have minimized your risk of transmittable disease. If you cut yourself on a blade that 

has been used for days, it is like sleeping with numerous partners......without the fun! In 

this day and age of doing FNA's with ridiculously flexible long safety needles and 

using annoying safety scalpels we can justify using a sharp blade for safety reasons.....

and get the benefit of awesome frozens every time!