Vacuum-based preservation of surgical specimens: an environmentally-safe step towards a formalin-free hospital.
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.
Di Novi
Cinzia
C
Dept. Of Public Policy and Choice University of Eastern Piedmont, Italy.
Minniti
Davide
D
Barbaro
Silvana
S
Zampirolo
Maria Gabriella
MG
Cimino
Antonio
A
Bussolati
Gianni
G
D005557:Formaldehyde; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014618:Vacuum
D005557:Formaldehyde