[Histonet] Re: Finding Lymph Nodes After Fixation

[rsrichmond <@t> aol.com]

Well, three different people have claimed they can get away with 
post-fixing colonic mesenteries in a disclosing fixative to look for 
lymph nodes. I'm surprised - theoretically it shouldn't work, in my 
personal experience it doesn't work, and several people have told me 
that they couldn't make it work - so I felt justified in pontificating. 
Well, I'll try it again if the opportunity arises.

I wonder if the mesenteries received in formalin were adequately fixed 
- it's a situation where formalin penetrates very slowly.

My personal preference is Davidson's fixative (3 parts water, 3 parts 
alcohol, 2 parts 37% formaldehyde solution, 1 part glacial acetic 
acid). Surgipath's O-Fix in my experience works quite as well. I've had 
no luck Googling "Presto-Fixe II from spectra-tint" - look at the MSDS 
and tell us what's in it.

Once again I want to emphasize the clinical seriousness of this problem 
- lymph node metastases from colon cancer are often the size of 
pinheads, very hard to find - and their presence determines treatment.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN
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