Specimen Collection Manual for University of Iowa Physicians, Surgeons, and Staff
Physicians and others from outside the University of Iowa, please use the other manual.
The purpose of this collection manual is to provide specimen collection information to the Ophthalmology Department Nursing Station, Ambulatory Surgery Center, General OR, Frozen Section Room and any other areas providing patient specimens to the F. C. Blodi Eye Pathology Laboratory, room 233, Medical Research Center building (MRC). Notifications of annual review and updates are sent by e-mail to all ophthalmology staff, the General O.R., Frozen Section Room, and the Ambulatory Surgical Center.
Specimen collection begins with the removal of a fluid or a piece of tissue from a patient during a surgical procedure. If the procedure requires stat/rush attention, (i.e: Acanthamoeba scraping, temporal artery biopsy, etc.) the F.C. Blodi Eye Pathology Laboratory should be contacted in advance of beginning the procedure as the Eye Pathology Laboratory must prepare equipment and materials for these particular procedures prior to receiving the patient's specimen. Dr. Syed (pager 2438) needs to be called for all fine needle aspirate procedures.
General Information on Collection and Handling of Specimens
Laboratory Hours
Routine Pick-up
Exceptions to Routine Pick-up Time
Handling, Labeling and Transportation of Specimens
Attending Physicians Responsibilities
Operating Room, Ambulatory Surgery and Ophthalmology Nursing Staff Responsibilities
Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory's Responsibilities
Incomplete or Missing Patient or Specimen Information
Sending Information to the Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory
Giving Patient Information to Physicians
Copies of Final Reports
Special Procedure Specimen Collection
Corneal Epithelial Scraping for Acanthamoeba
Electron Microscopy
Fine Needle Aspirations
Frozen Sections on Ocular Tissue
Immunohistochemistry
Metabolic Diseases
Temporal Artery Biopsies
Vitreous tap
Routine Specimen Collection by Specimen Type
Autopsy eye
Ciliary body
Conjunctiva | pdf
Corneal biopsy (for infectious disease or to demonstrate crystals)
Corneal buttons (tissue from transplant procedures, and routine)
Descemet's
Enucleation
Evisceration
Exenteration
Eyelid
Foreign body
Intraocular lens (IOL)
Iris
Lacrimal system (lacrimal gland or sac)
Muscle
Optic nerve
Optic nerve sheath
Orbital biopsy
Orbital tumor/Lymphoid lesion
Orbital tumor/Pediatric tumor
Pterygium
Skin
Trabecular meshwork
Vitrectomy