I'm overwhelmed at the huge response. Thank you all. The patient was instructed to make arrangements with a funeral home. The patient is 29 yrs old and since the funeral home might be taking on the responsibility of storing for several decades, she's been unsuccessful in identifying one willing to assist her.
I don't have any way to know what the mom's appendix is in. it's quite possible she obtained it before the regs on formaldehyde became so restrictive (mid- '80's I believe). The vinegar was thought to be a solution that would not grow organisms. The gall bladder has been cut down and now consists of a few very thin strips so I was concerned that allowing the tissue to air dry may appear (to the patient) that the specimen had been compromised. Have a great holiday everyone, and thank you again. Vinnie Della Speranza Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services Medical University of South Carolina 165 Ashley Avenue Suite 309 Charleston, South Carolina 29425 Tel: (843) 792-6353 Fax: (843) 792-8974 -----Original Message----- From: Weber, Susan (VHACLE) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 9:07 AM To: Della Speranza, Vinnie; histonet Subject: RE: [Histonet] as Thanksgiving approaches, what do you think about a gall bladder in vinegar ? Does she already have a funeral home picked out? Perhaps she can ask the funeral home to "store" it for her, and then release it only to a funeral home. I would consult my legal department to see what they feel is appropriate, that way you are dotting all your t's and crossing your eyes >.< as well! Susan M Weber HT(ASCP) Histology Supervisor Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center 10701 East Blvd Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (216) 791-3800 X6154 -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Della Speranza, Vinnie Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 5:37 PM To: histonet Subject: [Histonet] as Thanksgiving approaches, what do you think about a gall bladder in vinegar ? I have a patient requesting her gall bladder be returned to her for religious reasons. The premise I've been given is so that, upon death, the patient may be stored with her body parts. My facility has concerns about providing it to her in formalin (for obvious reasons) or alcohol. The patient admits this is a family practice with momma's appendix already being stored in the attic. It can get a bit toasty warm here in the South so attic storage of a specimen in alcohol may not be prudent and I can't be absolutely certain it wouldn't burn the house down, another potential liability for my institution. I'm tempted to give it to her in food grade vinegar, to avoid the potential liabilities from using anything that could be considered hazardous. Assuming that returning her gall bladder is a given, what do you think of using vinegar for this purpose? Vinnie Della Speranza Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services Medical University of South Carolina 165 Ashley Avenue Suite 309 Charleston, South Carolina 29425 Tel: (843) 792-6353 Fax: (843) 792-8974 _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet