Specimen Tracking (PRISMA HEALTH)

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LAB200130: Specimen Tracking

GMH HOSPITAL LAB: MISCELLANEOUS CONTAINER (No Temperature) Min Vol: N/A

Specimen Requirements Fresh tissue (fetal tissue, amnion, placenta) Cultured cells Formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) Products of Conception should be placed in a sterile container for transport. The specimen must be kept moist, so add tissue culture media or sterile saline if needed. Fresh tissue: Using sterile technique, obtain a 5 mm biopsy of unmacerated fetal tissue and place in tube containing transport media. If tissue culture media is not available, sterile solutions such as balanced salt solution may be used. The preferred placental tissues are fetal membranes or chorionic villi. If fetal samples are obtained at autopsy, lung, gonad or thymus are preferred for chromosome study. Cultured tissue: 2-T25 confluent flasks can be sent for analysis.

COLLECTING AND SHIPPING POC SAMPLES Product of conception samples may be obtained for cytogenetic or molecular studies. Samples that need to be cultured must be obtained in a sterile manner and transported to the laboratory in sterile solution such as tissue culture medium or sterile normal saline solution. These specimens should be transported to our lab as quickly as possible. 1) If the tissue is in a plastic suction container, please make sure the suction container is filled with sterile normal saline solution. The tissue must not be allowed to dry. 2) If the tissue is in a “sock”, please make sure there is enough fluid to keep the entire sample wet. Also, make sure the container seals well. 3) If tissue is dissected, villi and/or fetal tissue, place these in a tube of culture media or sterile normal saline solution. 4) Make sure the container with fluid is well sealed in plastic bags in case they leak. 5) Samples should be shipped by courier as soon as possible (next day). 6) Friday samples may be shipped by Fed Ex Saturday Delivery or refrigerated until Monday and sent by courier. *For ANY type of tissue: DO NOT allow the specimen to come into contact with formalin or other fixatives as fixed tissue will not grow* If you have questions, please contact the Diagnostic Laboratory at 864-941-8130 or toll free at 1-800-473-9411. For after-hours inquiries, please call 864-943-3475.