Microwave-stimulated chemical fixation of whole eyes.

Abstract

Microwave-stimulated chemical fixation has been used successfully to rapidly prepare nonocular tissue for processing and paraffin embedding. This same technique was adapted to fix whole eyes using a common domestic microwave oven. Histologic sections were compared with sections from globes that were fixed in a traditional manner. Histologic sections and histochemical and immunohistochemical staining of eyes treated with microwave-stimulated chemical fixation in 10% neutral-buffered formalin were comparable in quality to eyes fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin at room temperature for 48 hours. Because microwave irradiation accelerates the most time-consuming part of preparing whole eyes for light microscopy, the technique enhances laboratory efficiency. The technique is particularly well suited for ensuring adequate fixation of globes when histologic diagnosis is needed in less than 48 hours.