[Histonet] RE: Metal molds

Wed Oct 10 13:18:48 CDT 2012

Actually, the thread began because our VIP rotary valve got filled with
wax and required service. We clean daily in VIP, but wanted to know what
others were doing. Mostly, people are using the VIP, so we may need to
modify our regularity or change out cleaning solution more frequently.

I do like where the thread has gone. I got my (chicken fryer) cast iron
skillet from my mother who got it from her mother. They were migrant
workers during the dust bowl,  picking cotton in Texas and oranges in
California before settling in Arizona. I remember Mom frying chicken (or
the occasional rabbit) in it on Sunday mornings. Yes, I still use it,
but I have added several other cast iron pieces to the arsenal including
a bread pan! There will be pound cake in the oven tonight!

William (Bill) O'Donnell, HT (ASCP) QIHC 
Senior Histologist
Good Samaritan Hospital
10 East 31st Street
Kearney, NE 68847 

SERENITY is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm.

Cultivate it in PRAYER!

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of joelle
weaver
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 12:42 PM
To: brendal.finlay <@t> medicalcenterclinic.com;
histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: Metal molds

My impression of the intial thread was the general cleanliness and cross
contamination potential, not the fact that the blocks aren't easily
released. I have never had that issue. 

Joelle Weaver MAOM, HTL (ASCP) QIHC
 > Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2012 09:27:09 -0500
> From: brendal.finlay <@t> medicalcenterclinic.com
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: Metal molds
> 
> 
> We clean molds every day.  My preferred method is heated water to melt

> the paraffin off, then allow to cool.  Peel the paraffin from the 
> surface of the water, remove the molds from the water, then dunk them 
> about 10 times in a mixture of alcohol and mold release.  Allow to air

> dry or dry in a low temp oven.
> 
> 
> In my experience, molds that aren't cleaned on a regular basis make it

> very difficult to remove the embedded cassettes even if very, very 
> cold.  It's easier for me if my workspace and tools are clean and 
> organized.
> 
> 
> -----Original message-----
> From: Susan.Walzer <@t> HCAHealthcare.com
> Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2012 01:00:50 -0500
> To: joelleweaver <@t> hotmail.com, valerie.hannen <@t> parrishmed.com
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: Metal molds
> 
> > We put our molds in the VIP before running the cleaning cycle daily.
> Then we dip them in alcohol containing mold release..air dry and 
> store.
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> >From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of joelle

> weaver
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2012 3:27 PM
> > To: valerie.hannen <@t> parrishmed.com
> > Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> > Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: Metal molds
> > 
> > 
> > I always cleaned them daily, either the very hot water, soapy water
> method, with water running over them in the sink with them on their 
> sides so it passes over them, not upright so the water sits in them- 
> then a rinse in alcohol and completely air dry. Or you can always do 
> the clean cycle with the racks, running them through xylene, etc. They

> come out very clean this way- used an old processor that was a backup 
> for this most of the time. But I always did them daily, but also wiped

> each one out with gauze if I used them twice in an embedding session (

> for more than one specimen in that large batch). Also I like metal, I 
> hate those plasticones. If you keep the block face surface of the mold

> warm-hot, and flatten before it turns completely white the specimen is

> at the surface and you are able to see the edges easily without a lot 
> of "facing". I think this saves time cutting through paraffin, and 
> saves blades. Plus if the specimen is not flat enough, you see it 
> right away and know if you must re-embed to get a complete, 
> representative section, rather than after you have cut some 
> superficial parts of some edges away and not others, only to have to 
> re-embed anyhow. The other problems I see are when people are "afraid"
> of big molds- please if you are only taking one section, use one large

> enough to leave a perimeter. Don't try to squeeze it into a medium 
> mold, you are unlikely to need multiple sections on one slide and it 
> is much easier to get flat and get a good section. Also please put 
> enough paraffin on top, so that when it is cool the layer over the 
> grooves in the cassette is not so thin that youcan clearly see the 
> depressions. That little bit of paraffin is much cheaper than tech 
> time in re-embedding and fussing with a block longer than you should.
> Not so much a big issue for many specimens, but anything hard/ dense, 
> such as bone, cervix, uterus, leeps, ( you get the idea) it is not 
> anchored enough without a good dose of paraffin, causing more chatter 
> when you section, and maybe chipping out more frequently, or even the 
> whole bottom surface to lift off the cassette. I guess I have some 
> "pet peeves" with this topic, so thanks for letting me get that out!
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Joelle Weaver MAOM, HTL (ASCP) QIHC
> > > From: Valerie.Hannen <@t> parrishmed.com
> > > To: billodonnell <@t> catholichealth.net;
> histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> > > Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2012 10:51:01 -0400
> > > CC: 
> > > Subject: [Histonet] RE: Metal molds
> > > 
> > > We clean our molds once a week. Soakthem in Xylene to remove
> paraffin, soak in 100% alcohol to remove xylene, rinse in running 
> water, dry and spray with mold release solution.
> > > 
> > > Valerie A. Hannen, MLT(ASCP),HTL,SU(FL) Histology Section Chief 
> > > Parrish Medical Center
> > > 951 N. Washington Ave.
> > > Titusville, Florida 32976
> > > Phone:(321) 268-6333 ext. 7506
> > > Fax: (321) 268-6149
> > > valerie.hannen <@t> parrishmed.com
> > > 
> > > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of 
> O'Donnell, Bill
> > > Sent: Monday, October 08, 2012 4:32 PM
> > > To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> > > Subject: [Histonet] Metal molds
> > > 
> > > 
> > > OK folks, I know I should be smarter than this and I haven't seen
> discussion on itlately.... 
> > > 
> > > Are people cleaning their metal embedding molds after evey
> embedding session?
> > > 
> > > If not, how often do you clean them? 
> > > 
> > > Do you clean them at all?
> > > 
> > > If you clean them, how do you do it? 
> > > 
> > > Thanks
> > > 
> > > Bill
> > > William (Bill) O'Donnell, HT (ASCP) QIHC Senior Histologist Good
> Samaritan Hospital 10 East 31st Street Kearney, NE 68847
> > > 
> > > SERENITY is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm.
> > > 
> > > Cultivate it in PRAYER!
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
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> Brendal C. Finlay, HT (ASCP)
> 
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