[Histonet] Specimen submission pads

[Terri Braud]

We, too, had the same problem.  The GI rooms were cutting telfa pads so they would fit in the formalin containers, and the pads were falling apart.  We finally asked that they just put the specimens directly into the formalin. That way we can decide in the gross room, the best way to submit the tissue.  Mesh bags, lens paper, or foam sponges.  We've found that well fixed GI biopsies can easily be processed using "foam sponges" and are easy to retrieve for embedding and show no "foam pad cut artifact".  We use Mesh bags for multiple tiny particles, and lens paper for tiny individual fragments.
I hope this helps. Sincerely, Terri

Terri L. Braud, HT(ASCP)
Anatomic Pathology Supervisor
Laboratory
Holy Redeemer Hospital
1648 Huntingdon Pike
Meadowbrook, PA 19046
ph: 215-938-3689
fax: 215-938-3874

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From: Linda Margraf via Histonet [histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu]
Hi Histonetters,
We are having trouble in the Gross room,  removing small specimens from the pads/gauze that OR personnel put them on which they then immerse in formalin.  We thought the gauze was challenging to remove tiny specimens from but have found that the Telfa pads the OR is now using come apart in the fixative and are even more challenging to work with. The GI lab uses sponges but they would be too small for the usual size containers the OR send us.  Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance,
Linda M
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