[Histonet] Send-outs, cassette printers, holding cassettes, and cassette clamps

[Terri Braud]

   1. Send-Outs (Cristi Rigazio)
Our TAT for send-outs is 1 working day (M-F). The office staff here use the "Slide/block Send Out" function in CoPath to track all material moving in and out of Anatomic Pathology and it really speed up retrieval of case material 
   
   3. Cassette printers - multi color cassettes and network ready-      (Cheryl)
Even though they are big, we still love our Leica Printers.  They are such workhorses and they were so easy to interface.

   5. A Question About Paraffin Times (P Sicurello)
I agree that if possible, the delay should be in formalin, but if you are running into a problem where that might exceed fixation times for a breast specimen there are 2 good alternatives.  The first one is as you stated, to just pull them out of paraffin and let them chill, OR you can program a "hold" in 70% alcohol to avoid formalin fixation beyond 72 hours, and have the process finish at the usual time.  Works like a charm.  Feel free to contact me for details. I would never leave cassettes to "cook" in hot paraffin.

   6. Extra Large Cassette Clamps for Microtomes (Sandra Cheasty)
Only use one microtome, even if you are swapping out.  Just my personal, unscientific opinion, but the less one disturbs the clamp/knife holder assembly, the better.

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
Care, Comfort, and Heal