Method and apparatus for the rapid decalcification and fixation of mineralized tissues

• US 6,797,928 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ted Pella Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ted Pella Inc.
• Inventors: Giberson, Richard T., Hansen, Paul A., Armogida, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Van, Quang T
• Application Number:
  US10/128,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 219/745, 219/694, 219/732, 219/679, 219/687, 219/762, 435/4, 435/40.5, 435/40.52, 435/173.1, 435/173.4, 606/81, 422/21
• US Class Current: 219/679
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/806 for laboratory use

Abstract

A method and apparatus for rapid fixation and decalcification of calcified tissues using a MW oven with adjustable variable continuous power output, a specialized tissue handling system and an external temperature control device to maintain reagent temperature control external to the MW environment. Tissues are placed in cassettes, which are then placed in a tissue handling system. The tissue handling system also provides a specialized external container, which allows for the recirculation and cooling of reagents external to the MW cavity. The external device is a recirculation device having both heating and cooling capacities for a range of different processing reagents.

Claims

1. A method to decalcify a tissue specimen, said method comprising the steps of:

suspending a fixated tissue specimen in a circulating fluid stream of a decalcification reagent; and

placing the specimen in a microwave oven;

irradiating the specimen with microwave radiation;

supplying a reservoir for the fluid stream external to the microwave oven;

controlling the temperature of the reservoir with a heating and cooling apparatus associated with the reservoir;

operating the microwave oven in the range of about 450 watts or less power; and

selecting the decalcification reagents from the group consisting of;

EDTA, formic acid-based reagents, nitric acid-based reagents, hydrochloric acid-based reagents, sulphuric acid-based reagents, acetic acid-based reagents, Decal®

, Decal Stat®

, Formical-2000®

, and Immunocal®

.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

controlling the fluid adjacent to the specimen inside the microwave oven with a backup temperature control loop that uses the microwave oven to maintain a setpoint temperature in the event of a failure of the reservoir heating and cooling apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of controlling the fluid temperature in the range of about 4°

C. to 45°

C.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of controlling a fluid depth around the tissue specimen to fully immerse the tissue specimen.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of regulating a preset time of operation for the microwave irradiation.