[Histonet] A Question About Paraffin Times

[P Sicurello]

Hi Shannon and Everyone Else,

Usually the samples are placed on a weekend delay.  This time, however,
the breast cases were sitting in formalin since Thursday and the run had to
end on Saturday due to the CAP 72 hour rule for breast and HER2 testing.

The problem is, the person in charge of Histology not a Histologist.  The
person in charge was told by several experienced histotechs that letting
the samples sit in molten paraffin is not a good thing to do.  They were
told that it was routine (which it isn't) to let them sit in hot wax for
days.

I just need information that states that sitting in paraffin for any
excessive length of time is bad.  I found it mentioned in Sheehan and
Hrapcek's "Theory and Practice of Histotechnology".

I can't find my Carson.  Does she mention excessive times in paraffin?

If so, please let me know.

Thank you for all the assistance.

Sincerely,

Paula Sicurello, HTL (ASCP)CM

Histotechnology Specialist

UC San Diego Health

200 Arbor Drive

San Diego, CA 92103

(P): 619-543-2872 <#>



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On Tue, May 16, 2017 at 11:13 AM, Logan, Shannon <Shannon.Logan at bellin.org>
wrote:

> Hello Paula,
>
> So why must the cassettes be removed on Saturday morning if you aren’t
> embedding until Monday morning?
>
> Don’t you have a “delay start” feature on your processor? Neither option A
> or B seem like a good thing for the tissue!
>
>  We time our processor to finish at 5 AM Monday when the first Histotech
> arrives for embedding.
>
> The cassettes remain in formalin until the processor starts up on Sunday
> evening.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
>
>
>
> Shannon H. Logan  B.S., HTL (ASCP)
>
> Pathology Department
>
>
>
> Bellin Health Memorial Hospital
>
> 744 South Webster Avenue
>
> Green Bay, WI 54305-3400
>
> 920-433-3653  X3727 <(920)%20433-3653>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* P Sicurello via Histonet [mailto:histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu]
>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, May 16, 2017 10:34 AM
> *To:* HistoNet
> *Subject:* [Histonet] A Question About Paraffin Times
>
>
>
> Good Morning Listers,
>
> I am asking the collective wisdom of the Histonet this question:
>
>
> Is it better to remove baskets from the processor on Saturday morning and:
>
> A. Let the cassettes freeze, then melt them down and embed Monday morning?
> OR
> B. Leave the cassettes in molten paraffin and embed Monday morning?
>
>
> I am of the opinion that leaving the samples (not fatty, like breast cores)
> in molten paraffin (62 degrees C) is bad practice, and causes them to get
> "crunchy", among other things.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Thank in advance.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Paula Sicurello, HTL (ASCP)CM
>
> Histotechnology Specialist
>
> UC San Diego Health
>
> 200 Arbor Drive
>
> San Diego, CA 92103
>
> (P): 619-543-2872 <(619)%20543-2872> <#>
>
>
>
> *Confidentiality Notice*: The information transmitted in this e-mail is
> intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may
> contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review,
> retransmission, dissemination or other use of or taking of any action in
> reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the
> intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this e-mail in error,
> please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer.
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