[Histonet] Slide/Block Retention

[Janice Mahoney]

CAP standard is 10 years for tissue blocks.  I would caution not keeping them for that period for several reasons.  One is that it may put you in a bad position regarding legal cases.  You could be asked why you don't follow the most strict standard and be expected to explain why.  The second is for subsequent patient care.  When Her-2 first come on the scene we were pulling blocks from cases older than 2 years old.  You never know what new prognostic/predictive markers will appear on the scene.  If you don't have the original tumor material you may be doing your patients a disservice.  If I had blocks at your institution I would want to keep them myself rather than have them destroyed.Jan M.Omaha

> Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2011 07:00:51 -0700
> From: rjbuesa <@t> yahoo.com
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; mjdessoye <@t> wvhcs.org
> Subject: Re: [Histonet] Slide/Block Retention
> CC: 
> 
> We keep our blocks 9 years.
> René J.
> 
> --- On Mon, 10/3/11, Dessoye, Michael J <mjdessoye <@t> wvhcs.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: Dessoye, Michael J <mjdessoye <@t> wvhcs.org>
> Subject: [Histonet] Slide/Block Retention
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Date: Monday, October 3, 2011, 9:50 AM
> 
> 
> Hello Histonet,
> 
> What policy is everyone following for slide and block retention?  We are
> not CAP, however we currently keep slides and blocks for 10 years.  My
> director wants to decrease that period to 2 years, which is the Joint
> Commission standard.  I would like to keep 10 years because we
> frequently are asked to send slides for consult and review that are
> several years old.  It is also helpful when looking for hard-to-find
> control tissue.  However these reasons are apparently not sufficient.  
> 
> I'm leaning towards keeping the 10 year policy, but I need additional
> justification.  Or does anyone think the 2 year period is sufficient?
> 
> Thanks,
> Mike
> 
> Michael J. Dessoye, M.S. | Histology Supervisor | Wyoming Valley Health
> Care System | mjdessoye <@t> wvhcs.org <mailto:mjdessoye <@t> wvhcs.org>  |
> 575 N. River Street | Wilkes Barre, PA 18764 | Tel: 570-552-1485 | Fax:
> 570-552-1526 
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