title: Vacuum-based preservation of surgical specimens: an environmentally-safe step towards a formalin-free hospital.
abstract: Formalin as a fixative has no practical substitutes, but is toxic and potentially carcinogenic, so caution of its use in hospitals and elsewhere is mandatory. In our hospital, preservation of surgical specimens into formalin to be transferred to pathology labs was replaced by under-vacuum sealing (UVS) tissues into plastic bags and preservation at 4 degrees C until transfer. Data analysis showed UVS processing to be superior in terms of staff satisfaction and of gross anatomic preservation; no problems in terms of technical feasibility or histopathologic preservation were encountered. Formalin was confined to pathology labs while its use on hospital premises was vastly reduced.
authors.affiliation: Dept. Of Public Policy and Choice University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Novi
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Minniti
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbaro
authors.forename: Maria Gabriella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Zampirolo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cimino
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bussolati
mesh_terms: D005557:Formaldehyde; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014618:Vacuum
chemical_list: D005557:Formaldehyde