[Histonet] RE: Metal molds

Thu Oct 18 08:39:48 CDT 2012

I disagree with the recycling of alcohol not being cost effective.  That completely depends on the system that you use for recycling.  While the cost of the alcohol can be cheap, the shipping of it can significantly add to the overall cost.  There are several cheap recycling systems out on the market.

Joe W. Walker, Jr. MS, SCT(ASCP)CM
Anatomical Pathology Manager
Rutland Regional Medical Center
160 Allen Street, Rutland, VT 05701
P: 802.747.1790  F: 802.747.6525
NEW EMAIL: joewalker <@t> rrmc.org
www.rrmc.org

Our Vision:
To be the Best Community Healthcare System in New England

Rutland Regional...Vermont's 1st Hospital to Achieve Both ANCC Magnet Recognition® and the Governor's Award for Performance Excellence

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Rene J Buesa
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 11:45 AM
To: Bartlett, Jeanine (CDC/OID/NCEZID); Harris, Diana; 'Susan.Walzer <@t> HCAHealthcare.com'; joelleweaver <@t> hotmail.com; valerie.hannen <@t> parrishmed.com
Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: Re: [Histonet] RE: Metal molds

You can recycle the xylene  used in the cleaning cycle. I used to mix ALL the used xylene (from tissue processing + cleaning xylene) and recycle it without any problems. I did not recycle alcohol (not cost effective and time consuming).
René J.

________________________________
From: "Bartlett, Jeanine (CDC/OID/NCEZID)" <jqb7 <@t> cdc.gov>
To: "Harris, Diana" <Diana.Harris <@t> viha.ca>; "'Susan.Walzer <@t> HCAHealthcare.com'" <Susan.Walzer <@t> HCAHealthcare.com>; "joelleweaver <@t> hotmail.com" <joelleweaver <@t> hotmail.com>; "valerie.hannen <@t> parrishmed.com" <valerie.hannen <@t> parrishmed.com>
Cc: "histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu" <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 9:46 AM
Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: Metal molds

Does anyone that uses the VIP to clean their base molds also recycle the alcohols/xylene?  We were told that you should not clean the molds in the processor if you were recycling. Thanks!

Jeanine H. Bartlett
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch
404-639-3590
jeanine.bartlett <@t> cdc.hhs.gov

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Harris, Diana
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 9:42 AM
To: 'Susan.Walzer <@t> HCAHealthcare.com'; joelleweaver <@t> hotmail.com; valerie.hannen <@t> parrishmed.com
Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: Metal molds

At our lab we clean the molds in the VIP cleaning cycle then dip in mold release also.  Works well.  The only precaution is to drain the molds well after dipping otherwise embedding can be effected.

Diana Harris
QC & Method Development Technologist
Dept. Of Laboratory Medicine
Anatomical Pathology
Royal Jubilee Hospital
Victoria, BC Canada

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Susan.Walzer <@t> HCAHealthcare.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 12:01 AM
To: joelleweaver <@t> hotmail.com; valerie.hannen <@t> parrishmed.com
Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
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 plastic ones. 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 you can 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. Soak them 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 it lately....
>
> 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!
>
>
>
>
> This electronic mail and any attached documents are intended solely for the named addressee(s) and contain confidential information. If you are not an addressee, or responsible for delivering this email to an addressee, you have received this email in error and are notified that reading, copying, or disclosing this email is prohibited. If you received this email in error, immediately reply to the sender and delete the message completely from your computer system.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Histonet mailing list
> Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>
> =============
> "This email is intended solely for the use of the individual to whom
> it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged,
> confidential or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law.
> If the reader of this email is not the intended recipient or the
> employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the
> intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination,
> distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited.
> If you have received this communication in error, please immediately
> delete this message. Thank you"
> =============
>
> _______________________________________________
> Histonet mailing list
> Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
                        _______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet

_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet

_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet

_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
This message (and any included attachments) is from Rutland Regional Health Services and is intended only for the addressee(s). The information contained herein may include privileged or otherwise confidential information. Unauthorized review, forwarding, printing, copying, distributing, or using such information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you received this message in error, or have reason to believe you are not authorized to receive it, please promptly delete this message and notify the sender by e-mail.

Thank You