[Histonet] Embedding Question

[Lucie Guernsey]

If I may, I'd like to piggy-back onto what Paula has mentioned regarding
allowing paraffin infiltrated tissue to cool before embedding it. Hopefully
someone can help both of us out, even if we seem to warm our infiltrated
tissue differently (Paula's in a dry bin and mine in a wax bath).

I work in a research lab where we work in large batches and time is not a
priority like it is in a clinical setting. Rather than leaving 60-80
cassettes of infiltrated tissue soaking in a hot wax bath for hours at a
time, we've begun to allow the cassettes to cool and just toss a handful of
cassettes into the wax bath 5-10 minutes before we're ready to embed that
batch of cassettes. Sometimes we don't even embed the cooled tissue until
the next day or later that week. I haven't noticed an obvious difference in
how our blocks section, though we have troublesome batches sometimes and we
haven't been able to put our finger on why.

Anyone know if allowing infiltrated tissue to cool and then reheat before
embedding is better or worse than keeping the tissue soaking in wax for
hours at a time?

Thanks!
Lucie

Lucie Guernsey
UC San Diego
lguernsey <@t> ucsd.edu



On Thu, Mar 12, 2015 at 9:43 AM, Paula Sicurello <patpxs <@t> gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Tim,
>
> There are several embedding events through-out the day, though mostly in
> the wee hours of the morning.  The embedding centers would be in the same
> room as the  microtomes (another question about those tomorrow).
>
> I worry about the small (GI, needles, etc) biopsies freezing before they
> reach the embedding stations.  In my experience, once they freeze they get
> this outer wax coating (like a permeability barrier) which doesn't melt
> when placed in the dry (no paraffin inside) but hot, holding bin.
>
> They just don't seem to embed that well and have a tendency to drop out of
> the sections when cutting.
>
> Has anyone else had that happen?
>
> Paula
>
> On Thu, Mar 12, 2015 at 9:07 AM, Morken, Timothy <Timothy.Morken <@t> ucsf.edu>
> wrote:
>
> > Paula,
> > How many times per day?
> > Is the embedding close to the cutting area?
> >
> > Of course any extra walking is a problem, especially in busy areas. Is
> > this a non-patient area (hopefully!)? Any restructuring should be to move
> > things closer together, not further away!
> >
> > Having said that, If it comes to that I would be more concerned about
> > embedding proximity to the cutting area since having embedding near
> cutting
> > enhances workflow and cross coverage. If you don't unload processors very
> > often then having them distant might not be too bad. Not ideal, but not a
> > necessarily a deal killer.
> >
> >
> > Tim Morken
> > Pathology Site Manager, Parnassus
> > Supervisor, Electron Microscopy/Neuromuscular Special Studies
> > Department of Pathology
> > UC San Francisco Medical Center
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:
> > histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Paula Sicurello
> > Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2015 6:29 AM
> > To: HistoNet
> > Subject: [Histonet] Embedding Question
> >
> > It has been proposed to move the embedding centers to a room about 210 ft
> > away from the tissue processors.
> >
> > The trip from processor to embedding center would take over 2 minutes and
> > require the histotechs to carry the baskets full of cassettes down a much
> > used hallway.
> >
> > Opinions?
> >
> > Do you feel this is a good idea-yes or no and why?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Paula
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