US 2001/0043884 A1Published application

Microwave unit and system for tissue processing

OwnerErvin Essenfeld, Harold Essenfeld +3inventors

InventorsErvin Essenfeld, Harold Essenfeld, Ali R. Shahin, Harold D. Kimrey, Azorides R. Morales

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Abstract

An improved microwave unit and system incorporating the unit are provided for use in tissue processing and other chemical reactions. The microwave unit is comprised of an energy source, a wavguide transmitting the microwave energy to a reaction chamber, and the reaction chamber being adapted to perform the desired chemical reaction. The unit provides gentle and uniform heating, with minimal heat loss and escape of volatile chemicals. The system may be operated continuously or batchwise, by manual operation or automatically. Preferably, an automated system is operated with continuous throughput using a robotic armature to obtain the advantages of the invention.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A system for processing a tissue specimen for histology by hardening and impregnating said tissue specimen to produce an embedded tissue specimen suitable for sectioning, comprising a plurality of modules each comprised of a chemical composition contained within a reaction chamber of at least types (a)-(e):

(a) a first module containing a first solution comprised of a ketone and an alcohol;
(b) a second module containing a second solution comprised of a ketone and an alcohol, wherein concentration of ketone in said second solution is lower than concentration of ketone in said first solution;
(c) a third module containing a third solution comprised of a ketone, an alcohol, and a mineral oil;
(d) a fourth module containing a fourth solution comprised of a mineral oil and another impregnating agent, said another impregnating agent is a wax that would be solid at room temperature;
(e) a fifth module containing a fifth solution comprised of a wax;
(f) an agitator is provided in one or more modules to promote chemical exchange between tissue specimen and solution;
(g) a microwave unit transferring energy to and heating at least the contents of at least three reaction chambers of types (a)-(c);
(h) a heater unit transferring energy to at least one of the contents of at least three reaction chambers of type (d) or (e) to provide radiant heat;
and
(i) an armature conveyance travelling between at least two of said plurality of modules which transfers tissue specimens therebetween to transfer tissue specimens from module to module;
wherein each module contains a substantially non-aqueous composition;
hardening of said tissue specimen is caused by fixation and dehydration with at least some of said chemicals and said microwave radiation;
said tissue specimen is transferred between successive modules in an ordered sequence;
and a tissue specimen between about 1 mm and 2 mm in thickness can be hardened, impregnated, and embedded in wax in less than two hours.

11 more elements

A system for processing a tissue specimen for histology, comprising a plurality of modules each comprised of a non-aqueous chemical composition contained within a reaction chamber of at least types (a)-(c):

(a) at least one of said plurality of modules containing a solution comprised of a fixative,
(b) at least one of said plurality of modules containing a solution comprised of a dehydrating agent,
(c) at least one of said plurality of modules containing a solution comprised of an impregnating agent,
(d) an agitator is provided in one or more modules to promote chemical exchange between tissue specimen and solution,
(e) a microwave unit transferring energy to and heating at least the contents of the reaction chambers of types (a)-(b),
(f) a heater unit transferring energy to at least one of the contents of a reaction chamber of type (c) to provide radiant heat, and
(g) an armature conveyance travelling between at least two of said plurality of modules which transfers tissue specimens therebetween to transfer tissue specimens from module to module;
wherein said chemical compositions contained in reaction chambers of types (a)-(c) are substantially non-aqueous;
and wherein a first tissue specimen is transferred from a type (a) reaction chamber to a type (c) reaction chamber, and then a second tissue specimen is transferred to a type (a) reaction chamber before the first tissue specimen is transferred from the module of type (c) in an ordered sequence.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/735,914Filed 14 Dec 2000
Priority: 14 Dec 1999
Published: 22 Nov 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H05B 6/806
Apparatus for specific applications: for laboratory use
G01N 1/31
Staining; Impregnating ; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like…:…
G01N 1/44
Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q: sample treatment…
H05B 6/70
Heating using microwaves: feed lines