[Histonet] Re: MarginMap for breast biopsy orientation

[Robert Richmond]

Working in a small hospital in Georgia this week - just found out
about a very useful new breast biopsy product (I have no commercial
interest in it).

MarginMap "charms" are little (5 and 10 mm sizes are available) metal
markers used to mark the orientation of breast specimens - stamped
through the metal are the words cranial, caudal, medial, deep,
lateral, and skin. The surgeon attaches the charm - they look vaguely
like the metal tokens that are hung on an old fashioned charm bracelet
- to the specimen with a suture. The resulting tag is easily read on a
specimen radiogram and by the pathologist grossing the specimen.

Much simpler for the surgeon than tying all those short sutures and
long sutures while trying to get a half-literate assistant to write it
all down correctly.

MarginMap is made by the Beekley Corporation in Bristol, Connecticut
(beekley.com), which also makes the more familiar breast biopsy
products AccuGrid and CoreTainer. These products are well illustrated
on their Web site.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN