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

[Tony Henwood]

Vinnie,

You could use paraffin oil (also known as mineral oil).
It is used successfully in museum techniques for the preservation of
formalin fixed specimens.
Rinse the formalin fixed specimen in water, place in ethanol (which will
also bring back the colour), blot lightly and place in the oil. The oil
has the added advantage that bile will not tend to leach out of the
specimen. It also will not evaporate.

See: Henwood (2002)"Color preservation in pathology museum specimens"
published in Biotech Histochem 2002 Jul; 77(4): 230.

Regards

Tony Henwood JP, MSc, BAppSc, GradDipSysAnalys, CT(ASC)
Laboratory Manager & Senior Scientist
Tel: 612 9845 3306
Fax: 612 9845 3318
the children's hospital at westmead 
Cnr Hawkesbury Road and Hainsworth Street, Westmead 
Locked Bag 4001, Westmead NSW 2145, AUSTRALIA 




-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Della
Speranza, Vinnie
Sent: Tuesday, 25 November 2008 9:37 AM
To: histonet
Subject: [Histonet] as Thanksgiving approaches, what do you think about
a gall bladder in vinegar ?


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

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