Kitchen Microwave-Assisted Accelerated Method for Fixation and Processing of Oral Mucosal Biopsies: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background and aim: Conventional protocols of formalin fixation and processing add time and cost to histoprocessing. This study aims to evaluate an indigenously developed protocol for microwave histoprocessing and compare it with the routine protocol for histoprocessing. Materials and methods: A total of 40 human buccal mucosal specimens were processed according to the microwave and the routine protocol. Sections obtained were coded and evaluated for the following: Section quality, staining quality, artifacts, cellular details in epithelium, nuclear detail and diagnostic ability. Parameters were graded as suboptimal, optimal and good, and results were statistically analyzed. Results: The number of good and optimal specimens in both the protocols were almost similar for all parameters assessed with better results for cellular detail, nuclear detail, staining and sectioning quality seen in microwave-fixed samples. Artefacts were lesser in routine processing protocol. Conclusions: Microwave alcohol fixation protocol provides good and faster fixation compared to routine fixation.