[Histonet] HER2 and the 48 hour rule

[Rene J Buesa]

Dan:
  Yours is a mixed question between management and technique issues. 
  Once a favourable working condition has been achieved, breaking it could entail "dire" consequences. Personal schedules could be affected, so I would not advise you to try "the weekend honey-moon" is over approach.
   
  The technique approach has to consider if the 48h fixation maximum is to be observed and in that sense I think that leaving the specimens in 70% EthOL is more deleterious than leaving it in the molten wax. Heat has not cummulative effect, but tissues in 70% EthOL have been repported to deteriorate. Confronted with your problem I would set the tissue processors to start the protocol without the weekend delay and leave the tissues in the paraffin.
  As a "gesture of appreciative gratitude" I would ask somebody to start embedding Monday earlier than usual on those cases.
  Hope this will help you!
  René J.

"Peterson, Dan" <1dpeterson <@t> meriter.com> wrote:
  Hello Histonetters!
Maybe this has been discussed before, and if it has, I apologize in
advance, but I need a little input. Now that the CAP has mandated a 6
-48 hour window of fixation time for specimens that may have Her-2 neu
performed, what are you doing about weekend specimens? We JUST (after
25+ years) got rid of the need for techs to come in on Saturdays, and
would like to be able to continue this trend. However if a breast bx is
done at an outside account on a Thursday afternoon, and does not get
grossed by our staff until Friday, right now a our processors are set to
start up Sunday afternoon for Monday morning (Kind of over 48 hrs). So
here are my questions:
Do you set up the processor to sit in 70% OH after the formalin fix? Do
you let it sit in the paraffin from Saturday until Monday? (Is heat too
prolonged?)
Or do I have to break the news to staff that if their name is up, and a
breast bx comes in, they're coming in Saturday am?
We do not have a microwave processor (yet), but soon.
Any and all responses will be greatly appreciated!

Daniel R Peterson HT(ASCP)
Histopathology Section Head
Meriter Laboratories
(608)-267-6557
1dpeterson <@t> meriter.com

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