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

[Mike Pence]

I was is this "pickle" once, and we washed the specimen and then just
gave it to the patient clean and dry in a clean container. It was then
up to the patient to figure out what to do with the specimen. I believe
they had it frozen at the funeral home.

Sorry Vinnie, could not pass up the pickle joke here.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Della
Speranza, Vinnie
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 4:37 PM
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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