[Histonet] granular debris in paraffin blocks

[Monfils, Paul]

Now there's a unique problem! No, sand really doesn't section very well. How
about cutting a thick section?  A 20 or 30 micron section may not be
suitable for cellular detail, but it might contain enough of the material to
demonstrate it adequately; and while the section might be full of
striations, hopefully the striations might not be deep enough to shread the
ribbon.  Also, try to get the earliest section you can get, while knife
damage is minimal. Use a fresh section of knife edge, and start rotating the
microtome before the block touches the knife, so you can get the first
couple of sections off the block face.  If that doesn't work, your
pathologist will probably have to demonstrate the debris by having the lung
x-rayed.

Paul M.

> ----------
> From: 	histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu on behalf of Diana
> McCaig
> Sent: 	Tuesday, July 26, 2005 11:43 AM
> To: 	histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: 	[Histonet] granular debris in paraffin blocks
> 
> Does anyone have any suggestions to obtain sections from an autopsy case
> of
> a drowning victim.  The lung tissue has granular debris from a muddy
> ditch.
> The pathologist wants this demonstrated but it is virtually impossible to
> obtain anything due to fragmentation of the blocks from this.  
> Thanks
> Diana
> 
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