Tissue transfer to pathology labs: under vacuum is the safe alternative to formalin

Bussolati, Gianni; Chiusa, Luigi; Cimino, Antonio; D’Armento, Giuseppe

doi:10.1007/s00428-007-0529-x

Cited by 54 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Vacuum packing of tissue and transfer to the laboratory at 4°C (Tissue Safe) is one option attracting attention, and can be very useful for sites distant to the hospital laboratory. 18 Cooling should be as rapid as possible and cold fixation preserves RNA well, though cold shock-induced changes can be a consideration for some biomarkers. 19 Standard operating procedures (SOP) should be designed for tissue handling which incorporate aspects listed in the box 1.…”

Section: Preanalytical Standardsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Guidance for laboratories performing molecular pathology for cancer patients

et al. 2014

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Molecular testing is becoming an important part of the diagnosis of any patient with cancer. The challenge to laboratories is to meet this need, using reliable methods and processes to ensure that patients receive a timely and accurate report on which their treatment will be based. The aim of this paper is to provide minimum requirements for the management of molecular pathology laboratories. This general guidance should be augmented by the specific guidance available for different tumour types and tests. Preanalytical considerations are important, and careful consideration of the way in which specimens are obtained and reach the laboratory is necessary. Sample receipt and handling follow standard operating procedures, but some alterations may be necessary if molecular testing is to be performed, for instance to control tissue fixation. DNA and RNA extraction can be standardised and should be checked for quality and quantity of output on a regular basis. The choice of analytical method(s) depends on clinical requirements, desired turnaround time, and expertise available. Internal quality control, regular internal audit of the whole testing process, laboratory accreditation, and continual participation in external quality assessment schemes are prerequisites for delivery of a reliable service. A molecular pathology report should accurately convey the information the clinician needs to treat the patient with sufficient information to allow for correct interpretation of the result. Molecular pathology is developing rapidly, and further detailed evidence-based recommendations are required for many of the topics covered here.

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Section: Preanalytical Standardsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Guidance for laboratories performing molecular pathology for cancer patients

et al. 2014

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“…A good model for preserving sterility and cell viability could be that proposed for preserving organ for transplantation, in which the first goal is reached by packing the organ in several layers of sterile containers and the second by cooling at 4°C the organ by surrounding it with an icy slush mixture [4]. In our University hospital we have recently introduced a new method of collection, transfer and preservation of surgical specimens [5], [6], [7], [8]. This method requires immediate vacuum sealing of excised specimens at surgical theaters, followed by time-controlled transferring at 4°C to the pathology laboratory [6], [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Collection of Primary Tissue Cultures of Tumors from Vacuum Packed and Cooled Surgical Specimens: A Feasibility Study

et al. 2013

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Primary cultures represent an invaluable tool to set up functional experimental conditions; however, creation of tissue cultures from solid tumors is troublesome and often unproductive. Several features can affect the success rate of primary cultures, including technical issues from pre-analytical procedures employed in surgical theaters and pathology laboratories. We have recently introduced a new method of collection, transfer, and preservation of surgical specimens that requires immediate vacuum sealing of excised specimens at surgical theaters, followed by time-controlled transferring at 4°C to the pathology laboratory. Here we investigate the feasibility and performance of short-term primary cell cultures derived from vacuum packed and cooled (VPAC) preserved tissues. Tissue fragments were sampled from 52 surgical specimens of tumors larger than 2 cm for which surgical and VPAC times (the latter corresponding to cold ischemia time) were recorded. Cell viability was determined by trypan blue dye-exclusion assay and hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical stainings were performed to appreciate morphological and immunophenotypical features of cultured cells. Cell viability showed a range of 84–100% in 44 out of 52 (85%) VPAC preserved tissues. Length of both surgical and VPAC times affected cell viability: the critical surgical time was set around 1 hour and 30 minutes, while cells preserved a good viability when kept for about 24 hours of vacuum at 4°C. Cells were maintained in culture for at least three passages. Immunocytochemistry confirmed the phenotype of distinct populations, that is, expression of cytokeratins in epithelioid cells and of vimentin in spindle cells. Our results suggest that VPAC preserved tissues may represent a reliable source for creation of primary cell cultures and that a careful monitoring of surgical and cold ischemia times fosters a good performance of primary tissue cultures.

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“…Advantages linked to this procedure have already been reported elsewhere 1,2) . This processing was tested for more than two years in a single surgical theater and is now being used in the whole hospital.…”

mentioning

confidence: 91%

Occupational Hazards of Hospital Personnel: Assessment of a Safe Alternative to Formaldehyde

Berton

Novi

2012

Journal of Occupational Health

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Occupational Hazards of Hospital Personnel: Assessment of a Safe Alternative to Formaldehyde: Fabio BERTON, et al. Department of Public Policies and Public Choice, University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy— Objectives Formaldehyde —a chemical widely used to preserve organic tissues in hospitals —is known to be carcinogenic in the long term and to cause breathing‐related symptoms in the short term. We have taken advantage of an experiment to quantify this second effect among hospital workers in terms of probability of showing respiratory symptoms with respect to a benchmark in which tissues are preserved using a procedure with arguably no impact, i.e., under‐vacuum sealing. Methods This paper exploits an experimental situation with controls for potential confounding effects to estimate a logistic regression of the probability that formalin (a solution of formaldehyde and water) causes respiratory symptoms. Results The probability for formalin users was found to be eight to ten times higher than for personnel testing under‐vacuum sealing. Conclusions The substitution of formaldehyde with under‐vacuum sealing would markedly improve the health of personnel.

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Tissue transfer to pathology labs: under vacuum is the safe alternative to formalin

Cited by 54 publications

References 1 publication

Guidance for laboratories performing molecular pathology for cancer patients

Guidance for laboratories performing molecular pathology for cancer patients

A Collection of Primary Tissue Cultures of Tumors from Vacuum Packed and Cooled Surgical Specimens: A Feasibility Study

Occupational Hazards of Hospital Personnel: Assessment of a Safe Alternative to Formaldehyde

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