Thermo Fisher Scientific Xylene-Free Tissue Processing Solution Selected by Swedish Histopathology Laboratory for Maximum Staff Safety and Productivity

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. announces that Histocenter-Scandinavian Center for Histotechnology Inc. (Histocenter), the only private histopathology laboratory in Sweden, has selected the Thermo Scientific Excelsior ES tissue processor to facilitate xylene-free tissue processing without microwaves and excessive heat.

The Excelsior ES processor has revolutionized tissue processing at the facility, dramatically increasing staff safety and productivity cost effectively. Unparalleled ease of sectioning and quality of IHC staining has been achieved while the processing of reagents has been reduced by an impressive 40 percent.

Histocenter provides highest quality contract and consultancy services in the field of morphological cell biology, undertaking all operations within tissue preparation and processing, including fixation, sectioning and staining. The laboratory decided to purchase the Excelsior ES instrument because of its capability to perform xylene-free tissue processing resulting in faster analysis times and improvements in the quality of stained slides when compared to conventional methods.

Although traditionally used in tissue processing applications, xylene is a particularly toxic and hazardous chemical. It has been found to have detrimental effects on human health ranging from toxic hepatitis to pulmonary edema. By using the Thermo Scientific Excelsior ES processor, Histocenter has limited the exposure of its staff to the hazardous chemical and enhanced compliance with health and safety regulations. In addition, the high-disposal costs associated with xylene have been removed.

As well as maintaining the integrity of the processed tissue by using only moderate temperatures, the installation of the Excelsior ES processor at Histocenter has allowed for considerable reagent cost savings resulting from the instrument's in-process reagent rotation capability. In addition, down-draft ventilation and battery back-up power supply result in uninterrupted operation. The Excelsior ES instrument also enables laboratory staff to easily verify wax bath levels by simply opening the cabinet doors for direct viewing.

Kristina Räftegård, owner of Histocenter, comments: "The Thermo Scientific Excelsior ES instrument was chosen for its ability to meet the requirements of our challenging tissue processing applications time after time. The instrument has enabled us to carry out walk-away xylene-free tissue processing with unmatched tissue quality, consistency of results, lowest cost of ownership and the highest level of safety."