[Histonet] Re: Finding Lymph Nodes After Fixation

[rsrichmond <@t> aol.com]

Wanda Smith asks:

>>One of my pathologists asked me to ask a question - Has anyone had 
success in finding colonic lymph nodes in fat AFTER
fixation with 10% neutral buffered formalin? This pathologist has tried 
Dissect-aid and other solutions that seem to work on fresh fat, but he 
has had no luck trying this after the fat has been in formalin.<<

No, this doesn't work. Though often when the specimen arrives in 
formalin the fat has been so little penetrated by formalin that using a 
disclosing fixative is still worthwhile.

Any other specialty, you'd be able to make arrangements with the 
operating room staff to solve this problem. In pathology, the 
red-haired stepchild again. And the clinical stakes are high here - one 
positive lymph node, however small, requires chemotherapy.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN
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