[Histonet] "FREEZY" spray

[Stephen Peters M.D.]

I have to agree with Jennifer on the subject of using freezing spray in cryostats containing potentially infectious agents. I have tried 
to promote the concept of good cryostat hygiene with everyone I train. When I started out in practice I was greeted by
 cryostats that have been left full of shavings. At our hospital we pathologists cut our own frozens, and it seemed to be the policy that the shavings were emptied when you could no longer close the door! One day I opened the door of the cryostat and the draft created by opening the door sent a small blizzard up and I literally inhaled shavings. From that moment on I demanded our trays be emptied and wiped clean after each use. It is tough to get some pathologists to comply as they think they are above menial cleaning tasks, and prefer there "histoslaves" to do there clean up. I believe these same culprits wait for their mothers to flush for them. Filthy cryostats also risk cross contamination of slides. If you drop your chuck it will come up covered in coconut. If you chunk out a precious piece of tissue in a freshly cleaned cryostat you may actually see it be able to re embed it.
If you use freezing sprays in a cryostat snowstorm you will end up with a blizzard and risk not only inhalation but eye contact as well. If you must use freezing sprays, I suggest putting a dot on the chuck at 12:00, removing the chuck and spray the thing back to the ice age if you like. Return it to the chuck holder with the dot in the 12:00 position.  Bring the chuck back a bit so you can start trimming over again without yet hitting the tissue in case there has been slight change in X-Y orientation. When you are done wipe it out and empty the tray. If you think this is over kill I can recommend a few polluted Beach's here in the New York metropolitan area to take your family this summer!

Stephen Peters M.D. 
Pathology Innovations, LLC 
410 Old Mill Lane, 
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 
Phone and fax 201 847 7600 
www.pathologyinnovations.com