[Histonet] Weighing specimens

[Jackie M O'Connor]

Is the standard for "medically necessary" breast reduction still a minimum 
of 500g (each)  (i.e., what health insurance companies will pay for).  I 
recall this being a huge (no pun) issue some time ago - where the surgeon 
said the specimen weighed 500g, but the pathology scale indicated less - 
thereby screwing the patient out of the insurance coverage.  My gripe is 
the ongoing resentment of insurance companies determining what is 
medically neccessary, rather than the physicians. 
Jacqueline M. O'Connor HT(ASCP) QIHC
Assistant Scientist
GPRD Cancer Research
Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL
Jackie.OConnor <@t> abbott.com




"Charles  Scouten" <cwscouten <@t> myneurolab.com>
Sent by: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
06/07/2005 05:08 PM

 
        To:     "Barb Richmond" <Barb.Richmond <@t> mckennan.org>, 
<histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
        cc: 
        Subject:        RE: [Histonet] Weighing specimens


Intesting.  In soft tissue, formalin shrinks the tissue by removing 
extracellular space, and crosslinking proteins in neighboring cells 
together.  It makes sense that the fluid that had been in the 
extracellular space is squeezed out. The tissue is smaller, and should be 
lighter.


Cordially,
Charles W.  Scouten, Ph.D. 
myNeuroLab.com 
5918 Evergreen Blvd. 
St. Louis, MO 63134 
Ph: 314 522 0300  
FAX  314 522 0377 
cwscouten <@t> myneurolab.com 
http://www.myneurolab.com 


-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Barb 
Richmond
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 4:36 PM
To: 'histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu'
Subject: [Histonet] Weighing specimens

Does formalin decrease the weight of tissue?  In surgery for breast 
reductions the tissue removed is weighing > 400 grams.  After the addition 
of formalin the lab is getting a weight that is 20 grams less.  The 
balance/scales used have been compared and they only have 2-3 gram 
diffrence.  What do you think?? 

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