[Histonet] labvision ihc stainer....problems

[Botsford, Daniel]

Hello Dawn

Who manufactures your positive charged slide?

We had ER cases where the positive control on the top of the slide stained
and the a known  positive patient case on the bottom half did not.The
patient internal
control did not stain. (One slide with the control on the top half and the
patient on the bottom half) Traced the problem to slide manufactor. Very
random.  Manufacturer failed to have an even distribution of charge on the
entire slide which interfered with staining. When we switched to Erie
Manufactured Slides the problem disappeared.

Sincerely

Daniel Botsford
Windsor Regional Hospital
1995 Lens Avenue
Windsor, Ontario
N8W 1L9
519-254-5577 ext 52373
519-254-6861 fax
dbotsfor <@t> wrh.on.ca

Message: 7
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 10:42:37 -0500
From: "Olszewski, Dawn" <Dawn.Olszewski <@t> SGMC.ORG>
Subject: [Histonet] labvision ihc stainer....problems
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Message-ID:
	<42A2A5ED3C4F2C4C8ECC956EB32040BD02A043AA <@t> exchange.sgmc.org>
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Dear histonetters,
 
I have been having IHC issues sporatically for awhile now and would
appreciate any suggestions that might keep me from pulling out my hair.  I
am only giving out the name of the products we use to give you the complete
picture.  I am not trying to bash any particular company.  I just need
HELP!!!!!
 
I have used Dako and Ventanna stainers in the past and know that every
stainer has some issues.  I am now using 2 Labvision stainers and was
wondering if I am the only one having problems.  I have experienced complete
run failures as well as  only 1-2 antibodies per run not working with no
obvious reason for failure.  
Sometimes the control will be negative and the patient will work or neither
will work or the control will be positive but the patient will be negative
(that should have been pos.) so, you never really know if the results are
acurate.  But to complicate matters or frustrate me .... the whole process
is sporatic with no rhyme or reason and it has happened on BOTH instruments.
I can repeat the stains and all work fine or do 3 different slides with
controls and patient side by side and 1 work and 2 fail .  Crazy stuff like
that.  I do one step depar and AR in the pressure cooker and also use buffer
with tween 20.  I have had the service reps out here several times adjusting
drop zones, etc. because the problem looks to be a flow issue.  I am almost
ready to  give up.....Maybe I am overlooking something obvious I have just
forgotten about .   
Thanks in advance for any suggestions. 
 
Dawn Olszewski HTL (ASCP) QIHC
South Georgia Medical Center
Valdosta, GA.