[Histonet] Stainer vs. Stainer

[Terri Braud]

Hi Alison - 
I've used both stainers and like both of them a lot.  Both were super reliable and easy to use.  However, coverslipping is a different story.
I've used both film and glass.  About film - super quick, super easy, but - the purity of the xylene used to coverslip from film must be absolute. Anyone who has experienced film pulling off the slides in storage had a miniscule portion of water carried down the acohols and into the xylene. If it were glass, the process is a bit more forgiving of water contaminent. The absolute alcohols leading to the end xylenes must be kept very fresh.  I kept film slides for over 20 years, no problem.  If you are looking into digital pathology, I would check with vendors to see if film is acceptable.  I don't know.
As to coverslippers, we've been using the Sakura glass now for 10 years and love it.  I can't compare it to the newer Leica Glass, but 10 years ago my techs all preferred the Sakura because it had fewer moving parts and the maintenance was easier.  I hope this helps.  Good Luck, 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
Care, Comfort, and Heal

   6. stainer v. stainer (Perl , Alison)
   
Message: 6
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2019 20:08:14 +0000
From: "Perl , Alison" <aperl at cmmedical.com>
To: "'histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu'"
	<histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Subject: [Histonet] stainer v. stainer


Hi all
We are getting ready to purchase a new H&E stainer/coverslipper, and are considering the Sakura Prisma Plus (tape) and the Leica Spectra (glass). Does anyone have good or bad feedback on either instrument, and/or tape v. glass? We've always had glass, but of course the coverslippers need more maintenance, take longer to dry, more expensive than tape, etc etc. So we are very interested in tape, but still a little hesitant about the old problems of yellowing and peeling after 10+ years. Since we're in NY, we have to keep all slides for 20 years....

Any thoughts are appreciated!

Alison Perl, HTL(ASCP)CM
Anatomic Pathology Manager
CareMount Medical
110 South Bedford Rd
Mount Kisco, NY 10549
(914) 302-8424
aperl at cmmedical.com<mailto:aperl at cmmedical.com>
www.caremountmedical.com<http://www.caremountmedical.com/>