[Histonet] questions

[Garrison, Becky]

We receive the placentas fresh (they are refrigerated in L&D before 
transport to Pathology); add lots of formalin (use 163 oz containers) 
and let fix overnight. Early next morning, placenta is grossed and 
cassettes sit in formalin til end of day. This formalin is changed at 
least once so that bloody formalin is replaced with fresh.  Placed on
processor at end of second day after receipt.

When we had L&D add formalin, there was never enough formalin added and 
the placentas sat unfixed at room temperature for long periods of time.
This procedure works better for us.  Yes, we can not meet the CAP
guideline
for 2 day TAT but do end up with a consistently better quality product
for this tissue type.  (Placentas make up a small portion of overall
workload, so overall TAT is not affected).  Prior to this procedure,
placentas made 
up a disproportionate amount of reprocessed blocks.

Becky Garrison
Pathology Supervisor
Shands Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL 32209
904-244-6237, phone
904-244-4290, fax
904-393-3194, pager
 

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Webb,
Dorothy L
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 3:04 PM
To: 'histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu'
Subject: [Histonet] questions

We have been having problems with underprocessed placental membrane,
some of which are cut fairly thick, but am seeing it on more than just
the thich samples.  Does anyone out there in histoland have a special
process for placentas or any helpful hints?  I do know that many times
the placentas sit without formalin in L&D for hours before they bring
them to histo and add formalin and this seems to me it could be a
factor, even though we have them sitting in formalin for a few hours
before processing.

Also, does anyone do the high-iron diamine stain for intestinal mucin
staining?  Do you do it with an Alcian Blue-PAS stain?

Thank you ahead of time for any and all responses!!

Dorothy Webb, HT (ASCP)
Regions Histology Lab



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