How to Fix 10 Common Frozen Section Issues?

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Frozen section is a technique that uses low temperatures to freeze tissue to a specific hardness, facilitating the slicing process. This method is used to obtain living specimens during surgery for rapid histological diagnosis. Its convenience aids in determining the nature of the lesion and the scope of the operation. However, various factors can affect the quality of frozen sections and delay the issuance of the pathological report, which in turn impacts the timeliness and accuracy of the diagnosis and indirectly affects the patient's prognosis.

Let's take a look at the issues encountered during the frozen section process and analyze them together to find solutions!

Beyond these common issues, the effectiveness of frozen sections is greatly influenced by refrigeration. Here, we summarize the two key factors that affect section quality: freezing time and freezing temperature. Let's dive into what you need to focus on!

How does freezing duration impact the quality of cryo-section?

The sample freezing time should be determined based on the size and nature of the tissue block. Typically, the rapid refrigeration site of a frozen slicer requires 2-3 minutes of freezing. Larger or adipose tissue may need a longer freezing time, while tissues like the thyroid gland, brain tissue, and lymphatic tissue require a shorter duration. It's crucial to strictly control the freezing time—overfreezing can make the slice brittle. In cases of tissue fragmentation, the remedy is to cut a complete plane and press it back to temperature with a latex-gloved thumb until the slice is complete. Conversely, if the freezing time is too short, continue freezing until the tissue does not stick to the blade and intact slices are achieved.

It's important to note that if a sample has been flash-frozen with liquid nitrogen or removed from a -80°C ultra-low temperature refrigerator, it's recommended to rewarm the sample in the cryostat for half an hour before starting sectioning. This helps prevent tissue fragmentation.

How does freezing temperature impact the quality of cryo-section?

Different tissues have varying water and fat content, which affects their optimal freezing temperatures. Traditional cryostats with single-chamber refrigeration can only provide a stable low-temperature environment, where cold is transmitted to the sample through the air. This results in low refrigeration efficiency and slow temperature switching, making it difficult to meet the demands of intraoperative diagnosis and the rapid delivery of diagnostic results. Additionally, tissues with higher fat content require lower temperatures for freezing, which single-chamber refrigeration systems often cannot achieve.

The RWD Minux? FS800 Cryostat features a specimen head refrigeration function, allowing for rapid temperature switching between -10℃ and -50℃ within 1 minute. This flexibility not only meets the optimal sectioning temperature requirements for various tissues but also addresses the needs of clinical pathological diagnosis.

The optimal sample head temperature of general tissue is usually set between -15℃ and -20℃. However, for some of the more special tissue specimens, the temperature should be adjusted appropriately, such as more fatty components of the tissue, the sample head temperature of -30 ℃ and below is appropriate; lymph nodes, thyroid gland sample head temperature is better set at -13℃ ~ -15℃. If the refrigeration effect of a cryostat is not good, the glass window should not be opened too large, so as not to return the temperature of the box too quickly, affecting the precise section thickness. RWD Minux? FS800 Cryostat features intelligence and a thermostat, that can fully open the glass window to do sectioning operations, and the temperature of the chamber is stable and unaffected.

That's all for this issue. Have you encountered any problems in your daily cryosectioning that affect your results?

Feel free to leave a message, and we'll be happy to discuss it with you.