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clip image002 0000HISTOLOGY INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPER HANDLING OF SURGICAL SPECIMENS PROCEDURE

Policy
The following are procedures for proper handling of surgical (tissue) specimens prior to transfer to BIOTECH Clinical Laboratories. Please instruct all personnel and attendant to adhere to the following steps in preparation of tissue specimens for transport:

Procedure

  1. Fill out Specimen Requisition Form for Surgical Pathology with patient’s full name, age (date of birth), and insurance information.
  2. Write on the requisition form all pertinent clinical information and the anatomical site where the specimen is taken. Use the same requisition for multiple specimens from the same site. Label each specimen and indentify (A); (B);(C); etc. Use a separate requisition for each specimen from different sites.
  3. Write the patient’s name, date of birth, and specimen site on the label of the specimen container, which is prefilled with 10% Formalin solution. If multiple sites are submitted use one (1) container per site. Please label each site separately in separate containers,
    i.e.Example 1: Bx. Of Cervix; A-Site 12 o’clock; B-Site 9 o’clock; C-Site 6 o’clockContainer 1-Site 12 o’clock; Container 2-Site 9 o’clock; Container 3-Site 6 o’clock
    Example 2: Toe Nail Three (3) pieces in the same container
  4. Put the tissue specimen into the container. Be sure the specimen is totally immersed in the 10% Formalin.
  5. Recheck the completed request form and the specimen container to make certain the proper label matches the contents/requisition.

Proper handling and identification of tissue specimens is an important part of our overall quality control program. Specimen/requisitions not meeting the minimum requirements will be rejected until issue is resolved or returned to client. Documentation of reject/returned is noted and retained by the laboratory along with a copy of the requisition/container if applicable.

Note: Each specimen submitted to Histology must have two (2) identifiers: Patient’s Name and Patient’s Date of Birth on the specimen container and Requisition.