Microwave technique in histopathology and its comparison with the conventional technique

125 formalin fixed human tissues from different organs and 50 fresh animal tissues were taken. Each tissue piece was divided into two. Fresh animal tissues were fixed and processed in a domestic microwave oven and formalin fixed tissue were only processed in microwave oven. Simultaneous conventional processing was also carried out. Among the fresh tissues, 34 pieces were fixed in 10% formalin and 16 were stabilized in normal saline, with microwave irradiation. For histoprocessing graded ethanol (70% and absolute) for 150 tissues and graded isopropanol (70% and absolute) for 25 tissues were used for dehydration in microwave technique. Chloroform for 95 tissues, xylene for 15 tissues and isopropanol for 65 tissues were used as clearing agent in microwave technique. Liquid paraffin was impregnating agent in all 175 cases. The oven was operated at 50% power for 10 cases and 40% power for 165 cases. Recording of temperature could not be done. Regarding fixation with formalin 80% cases gave satisfactory result, while with normal saline, only 30% cases were satisfactory. Regarding dehydration with ethanol 80% were satisfactory and with isopropanol 60% were satisfactory. Regarding clearing--both chloroform and isopropyl alcohol gave satisfactory results in 80% cases but with, xylene tissues were fragmented and brittle.