[Histonet] alcohol as a fixative

[Rene J Buesa]

If  the the biopsies are placed in alcohol, they will be fixed in alcohol and it is in no way advisable to place them in NBF after wards. It will be a double and almost incompatible fixation that most likely will ruin the specimens affecting their processing and ulterior staining procedures (specially IHC)..
If you clinician "may be sensitive" to formalin he can use, besides the gloves, a mask. You are endangering the specimens and I think that this ought be your (and your pathologist) main concern.
I think that a small "sacrifice" by the clinician is the least the patient deserves to assure a correctly fixed biopsy.
René J.

--- On Wed, 7/13/11, Tryka, A. Francine <ftryka <@t> tetonhospital.org> wrote:


From: Tryka, A. Francine <ftryka <@t> tetonhospital.org>
Subject: [Histonet] alcohol as a fixative
To: "histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu" <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Date: Wednesday, July 13, 2011, 11:29 AM


Hello all in histoland.  I have a clinician who may be sensitive to formalin.  One of my colleagues suggests that he place his endoscopy specimens into alcohol instead of the usual formalin to mitigate his exposure.   Have any of you dealt with this problem?  What percent alcohol would you suggest?  Or methanol?  Would you transfer it back into formalin upon receipt in the lab?  Thanks, Franci Tryka

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