University of Miami

Azorides Morales

Ervin Essenfeld

Harold Essenfeld

Harold D Kimrey, Jr

Mehdi Nassiri

Mehrdad Nadji

Vladimir Vincek

H c/o Anatomia Patologia Y Citologia Essenfeld

E c/o Anatomia Patologia Y Citologia Essenfeld

Improved methods and systems for processing of solid tissue are described. The method may be performed manually or automatically. The system may have modules such as (i) a grossing module where a fresh tissue is sliced to prepare a tissue specimen, (ii) a hardening module that hardens the tissue specimen, (iii) an impregnating module that impregnates the tissue specimen that was hardened, and (iv) an embedding module that embeds a tissue specimen that was hardened and impregnated. Fresh (i.e., not fixed or frozen) tissue, which was excised to diagnose disease or to assess surgical treatment, is grossed to about 0.6 mm. Preferably, the hardening of fresh tissue is initiated, but not completed, during grossing by contact with a chemical admixture. Preferably, dry ice, a thermoelectric device, or a gas condenser cools a metal mold containing the embedded specimen. It is sectioned and then microscopically examined as an alternative to histologic examination of a frozen section to avoid the known problems of discordant and deferred diagnosis.

Ultra-rapid diagnostic tissue preparation as an alternative to frozen section

Improved systems and methods for tissue processing are described here. The chemical process and the construction of the apparatus are simplified by using only two different solutions in two separate reaction modules. They are compatible with processing of tissue specimens for genetic analysis, histology, in situ antibody binding and hybridization, archival preservation of morphology and nucleic acids, and combinations thereof.

Simplified tissue processing

A process and apparatus for rapid, continuous flow histological processing of tissues is disclosed. The steps of fixation, dehydration, clearing and impregnation are performed in less than one hour; this allows a pathologist to evaluate samples shortly after receipt, perhaps while the patient is still in the operating room. Rapid and continuous processing is accomplished by decreasing the thickness of tissue sections, use of non-aqueous solutions composed of admixtures of solutions, solution exchange at elevated temperature and with agitation, and impregnation under vacuum pressure. The patient in surgery is thus provided with point-of-care surgical pathology.

High quality, continuous throughput, tissue processing

A process and apparatus for rapid, continuous flow histological processing of tissues is disclosed. The steps of fixation, dehydration, clearing and impregnation are performed in less than one hour; this allows a pathologist to evaluate samples shortly after receipt, perhaps while the patient is still in the operating room. Rapid and continuous processing is accomplished by decreasing the thickness of tissue sections, use of nonaqueous solutions composed of admixtures of solutions, solution exchange at elevated temperature and with agitation, and impregnation under vacuum pressure. The patient in surgery is thus provided with point-of-care surgical pathology.

A tool for holding tissue to be sampled in place to allow tissue samples of a prescribed thickness to be prepared from the held tissue. The tool includes at least one tine array for engaging and holding the tissue. First and second tine arrays may advantageously be provided to define a slice thickness therebetween. In addition, or in the alternative, the tines of the tine array are mutually spaced apart by different distances to effectively hold the tissue and to define prescribed tissue sample lengths.

Pathology grossing tool

A solution for preservation and/or storage of a cell or tissue is described. This simple nonaqueous composition can have 10% polyethylene glycol and 90% methanol. It can be used at room temperature. Special chemicals, equipment, and techniques are not needed. Tissue preserved with and/or stored in the solution can be processed for cytology or histology, including chemical staining and/or antibody binding, by a variety of methods; antigen, DNA, and RNA can be extracted from processed tissue in high yield and with minimal or no degradation. Advantages of the solution include: economy and safety, easy access to archival material, and compatibility with both cellular and genetic analyses. The use and manufacture of the solution are also described.

Preservation of RNA and morphology in cells and tissues

An improved microwave unit and tissue processor system incorporating the unit are provided for use in rapid tissue processing. The microwave unit may be comprised of an energy source, a waveguide transmitting the microwave energy to a reaction chamber, and the reaction chamber being adapted to process tissue specimens for histology. The unit provides gentle and uniform heating, with minimal heat loss and escape of volatile chemicals. The system may be operated continuously and/or batchwise, by manual operation or automatically. The automated system may be operated with continuous throughput to obtain the advantages of the invention such as, for example, rapid processing under two hours and/or preservation of cell structure and tissue architecture.

Rapid tissue processor

Apparatus for high quality, continuous throughput, tissue fixation-dehydration-fat removal-impregnation

A grossing board for preparing gross tissue samples having relatively uniform thickness features one or more tissue-receiving depressions and one or more knife-guiding members. The bottom surface of a tissue-receiving depression is essentially parallel to the upper, cutting surface of the grossing board, and the knife-guiding members are configured to guide the pathologist's knife so as to ensure cuts that are parallel to the bottom surface of the tissue-receiving depression, thereby yielding gross tissue samples of desired reproducible, uniform thickness.

Growing community of inventors

Miami, FL, United States of America

Azorides Morales