The combined surgical and dermatohistopathology examination is discontinued. If skin biopsies and a surgical submission are submitted together, these will be treated as two separate submissions - 2 accessioning numbers will be assigned; 2 pathologists will review the case and 2 different charges will apply, one for the dermatohistopathology evaluation and one for the surgical evaluation.

Please place your submission form in a separate Ziploc bag to prevent soiling of the form by the sample or the formalin. Do not put the submission form inside the bag with the samples.

Please provide absorbent material for samples containing formalin and try to make the container as leak proof as possible, without the excessive use of adhesive products. [Note: Parafilm® is preferred].

When sending samples during cold weather (<0° C); first, completely fix the tissue in formalin (minimum 24 hours; will vary depending on the thickness of the tissue) and then place into 70% alcohol for transport. [Note: “Rubbing alcohol” contains 70% isopropyl or ethyl alcohol.]

There are now two levels of charges for surgical submissions—will depend on the number and/or the size of the submissions:
a. The Biopsy - Surgical - Up to 3 Tissues fee will apply if you are submitting up to 3 tissues
AND if the single or multiple (up to 3) tissues ‘fit’ into the 6 x 6 cm grid below.
b. The Biopsy - Surgical - > 3 or a single mass > 2 cm dia. fee will apply if you are submitting 4 or more tissues OR if the base of any of your submitted tissues (single or combined) exceeds the 6 x 6 cm grid below.
c. For full-thickness and endoscopic gastrointestinal biopsies, the Biopsy - Gastrointestinal - Up to 3 Tissues fee will apply when biopsies are collected from 3 or less sites and the Biopsy - Gastrointestinal - >3 Tissues will apply when 4 or more sites are sampled.

See "Instructions for Dermatohistopathology Service at PDS" for additional information (see link at top of this page).