Our Micro department has asked if all tissues removed from a patient must be removed by a pathologist, even if there are no orders for Histology?

According to TJC, all items (not just tissue) removed from human body must be examined by pathologist unless the Medical Staff Executive Committee has determined that there is no need for examination, ie. cataract, dental caries, placenta from normal delivery. Bullets, knives, etc must be retained after examination for appropriate law enforcement agency.

According to TJC, all items (not just tissue) removed from human body must be examined by pathologist unless the Medical Staff Executive Committee has determined that there is no need for examination, ie. cataract, dental caries, placenta from normal delivery.  Bullets, knives, etc must be retained after examination for appropriate law enforcement agency. Also, the Medical Staff Exec Committee should also determine which tissues do not need microscopic examination.

Interestingly, in the UK, if you remove a bullet, knife, whatever from the victim, and the victim is still alive, the bullet, knife, whatever, remains the property of the victim (rather than the person who did the "inserting") and they can refuse to give it over to the police. Mind you, in such circumstances, the police can get an order from the courts to "pursuade" the victim to give up his/her property!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great information, thank you!

Yes, all body parts (with above exceptions) go to A. Pathology. So, when sending for example the live-donor femoral head to the tissue bank a sample must be sent to A. Pathology.

That is a funny truth Malcolm, imagine that!!!

That reminds me: The stem cells that I have in storage cannot be discarded or used for research in the case that the patient expires. I am the custodian. To release them I need papers and papers....so I am ordering more Nitrogen tanks instead.