embedding Flashcards
large flat sections
easiest
usually the side facing down in the cassette should be down in the mold as well
some labs use notch or ink ink to mark top of tissue
tubular structures
on end
fallopian tubes, vas deferens, appendix, blood vessels
muscle or nerve
cross section & longitudinal
walled ( stratified )
embedded on edge making sure all layers are visible
cysts, gallbladder, GI tract, skin
all tissues cut better on an angle
knife enters smallest section first snf progresses to larger
how much wax should surround tissue
allow 2-4 mm of wax around the tissue for good support
- too large a mold makes cutting difficult
multiple pieces
arrange in a line all in the same orientation
tiny specimens
arrange in a line alternating from bigger piece to smaller piece
what temperature is the cooling plate on embedder
-5 degrees
quality control when embedding
all pieces on same plane
sponges, lens paper & covers all discarded in specific garbage can incase something must be rechecked
open only one cassette at a time
clear forceps or spatula carefully in-between
always check special instructions on worksheet
number of pieces should be known
incorrect
orientation
check specimens instruction before you imbed
check specimen orientation before you cut
tissue carryover
always clean forceps
use one cassette at a time
alternate tiny & large specimens
embed on one level
tamp tissue firmly and uniformly
do not allow wax to cool too early
work quickly
tissue pieces missing
number of pieces should be known
- refer to embedding log or cassette
open cassette carefully & check top before discarding
carefull open lens paper & keep warm while scraping
cassettes not level in mold
tamp down & ensure correctly sealed in mold
this error is less likely in metal molds
