[Histonet] as Thanksgiving approaches, what do you think about a gall bladder in vinegar ?

[Della Speranza, Vinnie]

I have a patient requesting her gall bladder be returned to her for religious reasons.
The premise I've been given is so that, upon death, the patient may be stored with her body parts.

My facility has concerns about providing it to her in formalin (for obvious reasons) or alcohol. The patient admits this is a family practice with momma's appendix already being stored in the attic.

It can get a bit toasty warm here in the South so attic storage of a specimen in alcohol may not be prudent and I can't be absolutely certain it wouldn't burn the house down, another potential liability for my institution.

I'm tempted to give it to her in food grade vinegar, to avoid the potential liabilities from using anything that could be considered hazardous.
Assuming that returning her gall bladder is a given, what do you think of using vinegar for this purpose?



Vinnie Della Speranza

Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services

Medical University of South Carolina

165 Ashley Avenue  Suite 309

Charleston, South Carolina 29425

Tel: (843) 792-6353

Fax: (843) 792-8974