SAFETY IN ANATOMICAL LABORATORY
Safety has always been viewed as a single facet monster. This article will open another avenue and will make us more responsible and accountable to our actions in the laboratory. The laboratory has so many departments but today I will zero down on Anatomical Department. To the employer safety means good care to equipment and buildings, employee looks at PPE but I now want the scientist to incorporate the patient.
WHAT IS A SPECIMEN/SAMPLE?
As scientist we all are being reminded that the sample we work on every day is as good as another human like us. Safe handling, analysing and result interpretation is the safest way a patient is treated.
Our clients (patients and doctors)will have put their lives in our hands we therefore need to reciprocate by giving back good, accurate and safe results.
How do we achieve this in anatomical laboratory?
We need to have the department run by suitably qualified cadres who will perform their duties diligently.
The sample need to be of high quality.
Avoid mechanical trauma during surgery. The tissue must be removed gently avoiding trauma by crushing or tearing caused by the forceps. This applies to both during surgery and any other steps that follows eg cut up bench. The damage is permanent and causes basophilic staining of nuclei.
SPECIMEN DRYING.
Tissues must not be allowed to dry prior to fixation. This may happen if tissue is put on an absorbent surface. Theatre rooms are warm therefore samples dry faster if no fixative is not on site. In this case a sample may be wrapped in a gauze moistened with saline. Saline is not a fixative therefore the sample must be put in fixative in the shortest time possible.
CHEMICAL DAMAGE.
The surface unfixed tissues can be easily penetrated by detergents or disinfectants used to clean instruments therefore make sure these are free from these chemicals. If not removed they will mask any pathological changes and is evident when re-biopsying is done. Ferric subsulphates will give false perls reaction.
SAMPLE LABELLING.
This is a step not taken seriously as most samples are half labelled. At times this makes it difficult to match a sample with the request form. An SOP on sample labelling should always be available.
FIXATION.
Fixation ensures the patient gets true, quality and useful results at the end of the day..It is therefore important to make sure tissues are placed in a fixative as soon as possible or place it in a fridge at 4degrees.
Tissue degeneration starts as soon as it is deprived of oxygen and blood supply. Properly fixed tissues allows for future analysis and further tests thereby giving room for better patient management. Sample to fixative ratio should be at least 1:15and a bigger wide mouthed container should be used. This helps as it will no change the shape of the tissue as what happens when tissue is forced in a small container. Fixative penetration is also affected by the size of container and ratio. The fixative should be of correct pH as too acidic will cause pigmentation especially in blood samples. THESE WILL FORM A GOOD FOUNDATION IN HISTOLOGY.
Histology samples are difficult to obtain, procedures too expensive and results in most cases are final and change patient management . Lets all view the sample as one of us who needs fair treatment in a short time as possible.
A CHANGE INITIATED TODAY IS A BETTER FUTURE TO OUR PROFESSION AND NATION.
THANK YOU.
Douglas Gondo. Psmi Histology.
Ref. Vision biosystems(advancing the science of histology).