Other

Frozen sections:

When the tissue has been removed from the patient and a completed "request for Surgical Pathology / Neuropathology consultation" is available, o.r. Personnel should call (at hillcrest ext 37415 and at Thornton call the lab at ext 76595). Please see special instructions for normal business hours and after hours. Tissue for frozen section must not be placed into formalin, but rather put into either a container (no added fluid) or on a saline moisten towel. During non-working hours, the Surgical pathologist on-call must be contacted.

Fixation of tissue:

A. Routine small and medium-sized specimens: place into a container with an adequate amount (15 times the volume of tissue) of 10% formalin.

B. Large specimens: wrap in moist towel, paper or plastic. Bring to Surgical Pathology laboratory immediately, or refrigerate.

C. Liver needle biopsies: place into 10% formalin and bring to laboratory immediately.

D. Kidney needle biopsies: place into 10% formalin and bring to laboratory immediately. If immunofluorescent and/or em studies are desired, arrangements should be made in advance.

 E. Nerve and muscle biopsies: (for neuromuscular disorders): obtain instructions from the Neuropathology resident at pager 5545. See instructions for Neuropathology.

 F. Suspected gout or glycogen storage disease: place into absolute alcohol, not formalin.

G. Bone marrow: see instructions for bone marrow.

 H. Electron microscopy: contact the Neuropathology resident in advance pager 5545. See instructions for electron microscopy.

Bacterilogic studies:

Ideally, a portion of the unfixed tissue should be separated in the operating room from the major part of the specimen and submitted directly to the microbiology laboratory. Alternately, a portion can be cut from unfixed tissue in the Surgical Pathology laboratory. At hillcrest, during working hours (mon-fri, 0800-1630) leave specimens and requisitions on the table labeled "specimens" in the Surgical Pathology tissue gross room (room #2-304). At other times (when lab is locked) leave specimens as indicated in the closet next to the tissue gross room door. Specimens go into the refrigerator. For hillcrest hospital during normal business hours (8am-5pm): for frozen sections first call the Pathology gross room @37415. If no response, call pager 290-3846. If no response page the gross room supervisor @290-6058. And finally if no response from these individuals call the Surgical Pathology office @35764. For all other questions call the Surgical Pathology office @35764. for Thornton hospital during normal business hours (8am-5pm): for frozen sections and other issues/questions first call the general laboratory desk @76595 or 76177. If no response, call the Surgical Pathology gross room @76616.If no response, call the Thornton pathologist @76612. If no response call the general lab desk @76595 or 76177 for the pager number of the Thornton pathologist. After 5pm, weekends or holidays for hillcrest and Thornton hospitals: for frozen sections call the OR desk@36040 for the number of the Pathology resident on-call and the attending pathologist on-call. For all other issues/questions call the page operator@36040 for the number of the Pathology resident on-call and the attending pathologist on-call. If no response within 15 minutes from the resident, call the pager and/or home phone number of the attending pathologist on-call.