The effect of prior fixation on the distortion of uterine specimens opened after receipt in the pathology laboratory.
OBJECTIVE
To establish whether a period of fixation in formalin before incision reduced distortion of intact uterine specimens.


METHODS
A record was kept of the period between placing the intact specimen in formalin and incising the uterine corpus for 98 hysterectomy specimens. After fixation and at the time of cut up, the size of any gap that developed in the anterior uterine wall during the fixation period was measured. This was correlated with the period of fixation.


RESULTS
There was a negative association between the period of prior fixation and size of gap (p=0.0009). The delay in opening the specimen was not associated with any compromise in histological assessment of the tumour but facilitated the assessment of prognostic dimensions.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that the specimen should be placed in fixative as soon as possible after excision and before opening to ensure minimum distortion of the specimen.
Heatley
Mark K
MK
Department of Histopathology, St. James' University Hospital, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom. markkheatley@hotmail.com
D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005404:Fixatives / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000379:methods*; D010340:Pathology, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013997:Time Factors; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology*
D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde