[Histonet] Problems with processors and dehydration

[Tony Henwood (SCHN)]

Hi HR,

Does your processor request a dump when the first alcohol reaches a critical level?
If yes, make sure that you are only using aqueous solutions in your fixative stations (otherwise, if the last "fixative" station is an ethanol solution eg FAA, then the critical specific gravity won't be reached - though from what you have stated this is not the case)

Regards 
Tony Henwood JP, MSc, BAppSc, GradDipSysAnalys, CT(ASC), FFSc(RCPA) 
Laboratory Manager & Senior Scientist, the Children's Hospital at Westmead
Adjunct Fellow, School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney 
Tel: 612 9845 3306 
Fax: 612 9845 3318 
Pathology Department
the children's hospital at westmead
Cnr Hawkesbury Road and Hainsworth Street, Westmead
Locked Bag 4001, Westmead NSW 2145, AUSTRALIA 

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of H R
Sent: Sunday, 13 April 2014 11:42 AM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Problems with processors and dehydration

I have had some horrible luck with a processor that was purchased new 3 years ago, I won't mention the name. It worked great for 2.5 years, perfect specimens coming off. Then problems started with clogged lines , long drains skipped stations, etc. The company took it back to "work"on it b/c they couldn't figure out what was wrong, they gave me a loaner of the same kind, used it for a month and the computer went out on it and it spewed paraffin all over inside of machine and lab floor, so the sent me one of their "latest" models to use while they rebuilt my original processor.
  I used it for a couple of weeks and their was something wrong with the tissue, I couldn't put my finger on it and I thought I just needed to tweek the program. I was running an identical program to my original processor and it wasn't working well. Meanwhile, they send back my original machine, supposedly rebuilt, and want me to use it and make sure it's going to work before they pick up the latest model they were letting me use. I use my original machine for a week, get wonderful results and the clogged lines start again.Go back to the latest model and am having a horrible time, specimens are almost unreadable. Anything bigger than a shave, is horrible.
  I don't believe it's fixation, they are spongy and puff up on the ice and peel out of section when cut, which makes me believe poor dehydration. I don't know how that can be, I am running an overnight protocol with 2 formalins, 80% alc, 95% alc, 3-100% acl, 3 xylenes 4 paraffins, all of at least an hour a piece. If anything , they should be overprocess! I don't get any alarms on the machine, I am at a loss, the company is at a loss with all of it, I think it's poor equipment all around. Any suggestions?
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