We use these bags for small biopsies, but we use a funnel inserted into the
opening of the bag and pour the formalin and tissue into the funnel.  The tissue
flows to the bottom of the bag and the formalin is emptied into a clean
container.  Always check the funnel to make sure that all of the tissue goes
into the bag.  This is a simple procedure and it doesn't take very long.  We
don't staple our bags though.  We just fold it and put it into a cassette.

Toy Bridgman
---------------------- Forwarded by Toy Bridgman/Lab/StMarys/UHS on 10/04/2001
05:47 AM ---------------------------





RSRICHMOND@aol.com on 10/03/2001 11:24:09 PM
                                                              
                                                              
                                                              
 To:      histonet@pathology.swmed.edu                        
                                                              
 cc:      (bcc: Toy Bridgman/Lab/StMarys/UHS)                 
                                                              
                                                              
                                                              
 Subject: nylon embedding bags?                               
                                                              







Karen Dulany asked about nylon embedding bags.

Curiously enough, I've just encountered these bags for the first time in my
locum tenens travels, in the Cayman Islands of all places. As Richard
Rodriguez noted, they're offered by Shandon through Scientific Products. They
come in three sizes. The smallest fits into an ordinary cassette. They are
called Shandon Tissue Bags. I do not know what they cost, since Good
Management has come to Cayman and all catalogs are consequently locked up in
the lab manager's office.

Grossing without an assistant, I have not been too pleased with them. They
are hard to hold open and get specimens into, and are real time-wasters for
that reason. With an assistant to hold the bags open or bag the specimens,
they might be more practical. The histotechnologist here has not found it
necessary to staple the bags or write on them, as the directions suggest. He
does tear the bags open. I haven't watched him embed.

Here are the directions and the catalog numbers from the package.

Shandon Tissue Bags (last ordered July 2000 here.)

Boxes of 1000 small size bags, 67740010. (They also offer standard size
67740009, and large size 67740011).

1. Only use once.
2. Use a pencil to label the bag with the specimen number.
3. Hold open neck of bag.
4. Insert tissue into bag.
5. Fold over top edge of bag and close with staple.
6. After processing remove staple.
7. Hold each side of the bag and pull the sides outward tearing the sides of
the bag.
8. Remove tissue and discard bag.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN