A rapid manual processing technique for resource-limited small laboratories

Abstract

Background:Surgical pathology is an integral part of diagnosis and management planning in patient care. In the absence of widespread automation, many small laboratories are unable to provide this service due to lack of time. Currently, the shortest processing schedule for formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues is 16 working hours; most small laboratories cannot complete the rapid schedules within the average 8–9 working hours. Thus, the availability of an 8–9 h processing schedule that provide satisfactory results can help many small laboratories in routinely providing surgical pathology services.Objectives:To evaluate the effectiveness of a new rapid processing schedule and compare it with two existing rapid processing schedules.Materials and Methods:This animal study tested a new rapid processing schedule suggested by authors with overnight preprocessing in 60% isopropyl alcohol followed by an 8 h processing schedule. This was tested and compared with the rapid processing schedules described by Godkar's (11 h) and Bancroft's (2 working days). A routinely used automatic tissue processor long cycle (17 h) was the control. Each schedule was used on 20 tongue specimens. The prepared slides were evaluated for surface area and linear tissue shrinkage, ease of sectioning, quality of hematoxylin and eosin staining, histological appearance and artifacts.Results:No statistical differences were found between schedules. Overall total average performance ranking placed Bancroft's schedule as the best with only 27.9% of the sections processed and stained showing any shortcomings, followed closely by the test schedule suggested by authors (28.7%), Godkar's (31.8%) and the automatic processor schedule/control (33.3%).Conclusion:The test results indicated that the schedule devised by authors is an effective rapid processing cycle that produces diagnostic quality histological results when compared with other conventional processing schedules for small tissue blocks (average 6 mm × 8 mm).

Rapid tissue processing technique: A novel method using methyl salicylate

“…claims a processing time of 8–9 h, but the study required a preliminary 24 h of fixation step in neutral buffered formalin. [11] Our method completed the processing in 5–6 h depending on the size of the tissue, which includes fixation step as well and has yielded satisfactory results.…”

Rapid, Automated Tissue Processing Techniques for Small Biopsies Can be used to Produce Quality Sections for Diagnostic Reporting in Histopathology

“…Their manual test protocol was 8 hours long to fit in a normal working day after a 15-hour overnight step in 60% alcohol. They found no difference between their rapid cycle and the standard automated protocol when assessing for tissue shrinkage [5]. There was a difference of 4.4% for staining quality assessment across the two schedules.…”

“…There are few papers in the medical literature describing verification of automated short processing cycles in the histopathology laboratory. A study by Jali, et al [5] assessed a rapid manual technique for use in areas of the world without reliable continuous electricity supply and access to automation. Their manual test protocol was 8 hours long to fit in a normal working day after a 15-hour overnight step in 60% alcohol.…”

Histopathological effects of galanin on reproductive hormones and reproductive organs of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

“…The tissue processing and staining was performed [42,43] and to avoid the decomposition of tissues, they were put in Bouin's fixative for about 7-8 hours.…”