We have so many malignant patients here that a week after I discarded blocks through 1984 (this was several years ago), I had a patient call for a block. When she said, "Well, I just wasn't supposed to live this long" I just cried. All I could do was apologize but I don't want to have to tell patients that any more! We have been sending out KRAS, BRAF and EGFR mutations on cases from the 90s just this past week - we can hardly keep up there are so many requests for these new tests. And I expect it will only increase just like Bob said.. more of my 2 cents!!! j
________________________________ From: Bonner, Janet [mailto:janet.bon...@flhosp.org] Sent: Friday, February 06, 2009 8:50 AM To: Weems, Joyce; Robert Richmond; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: RE: [Histonet] Re: Paraffin Blocks We are a very large facility and kept the majority of our blocks and slides in a minimally air-conditioned hospital supplies warehouse. I used to pull blocks and slides for legal cases, and it was rare-rare-rare that anyone did anything with the blocks after five years. Ten years for the slides was appropriate. Janet Janet L. Bonner, HTL (ASCP) Pathology Laboratory ________________________________ From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu on behalf of Weems, Joyce Sent: Thu 2/5/2009 6:12 PM To: Robert Richmond; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: RE: [Histonet] Re: Paraffin Blocks I've been preaching this sermon for several years!!! We must do something!!! j -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Robert Richmond Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 5:28 PM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] Re: Paraffin Blocks How long to retain paraffin blocks (human tissue) is an issue that's going to need re-thinking. Presently most pathology services in the USA retain them for no more than ten years. If the laboratory closes, slides and blocks are disposed of immediately. It seems to me that in the coming age of molecular pathology, there will be a lot more interest in recovering paraffin blocks after longer periods of time. I think that the regulatory agencies will soon need to address this problem. Storing present-day paraffin blocks, with their bulky plastic mounts and low-melting waxes, is going to become even more difficult than it is now, as hospitals and other facilities consider the cost of maintaining and cooling storage space. I don't think it's possible to triage blocks and slides for disposal at the time the case is signed out. It sounds like a good idea, but the few times I've seen it tried it didn't work. Also, we really don't know what we're going to need to recover in the future. Bob Richmond Samurai Pathologist (nearly 70, isn't going to have to worry about this problem) Knoxville TN _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet Confidentiality Notice: This email, including any attachments is the property of Catholic Health East and is intended for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). It may contain information that is privileged and confidential. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please reply to the sender that you have received the message in error, then delete this message. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ======================================================= The information contained in this message may be privileged and/or confidential and protected from disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by replying to this message and deleting the material from any computer. ======================================================= Confidentiality Notice: This email, including any attachments is the property of Catholic Health East and is intended for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). It may contain information that is privileged and confidential. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please reply to the sender that you have received the message in error, then delete this message. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet