Biopsy Tissue Processing

This is an example of a biopsy processing protocol with a closed-system processor, using standard processing reagents and also pressure/vacuum. Notice that it takes approximately half the time to process biopsies as it does to process routine (larger) surgical specimens. The formalin fixation steps on the processor may be omitted if the biopsies have already fixed for several hours. Biopsies that are over processed on a routine processing protocol may be hardened and brittle due to over dehydration. Therefore, it is important to have separate processing protocols for biopsies and routine surgical tissue.