Surgical Pathology Shipping Instructions: Muscle Biopsies

Instructions for Shipping Muscle Biopsies to University of Florida Health Pathology Laboratories

Important

1. Before shipping any muscle biopsies to UF Health Pathology Laboratories, our Client Services department must be notified by calling 352.265.9900 or 888.375.LABS(5227).

2. Instructions on how to correctly process muscle biopsy specimens are provided below.
If you do not use the provided muscle biopsy box, label the outside of the package containing the muscle biopsy with “MUSCLE BIOPSY.”

3. Confirmed arrangements must be made prior to shipping any muscle biopsies to UF Health Pathology Laboratories. Muscle specimens must arrive within 24 hours of their
initial biopsy. UF Health Pathology Laboratories accepts muscle specimens Monday through Thursday only. Please do not schedule muscle specimens for Saturday delivery.

Specimens should be delivered to:

UF Health Pathology Laboratories
Attn.: Accessioning
4800 SW 35th Drive
Gainesville, FL 32608

4. Accurate clinical information is critically important for the interpretation of muscle biopsies.

Help UF Health Pathology Laboratories administer excellent and timely patient care by providing all relevant clinical information on the attached Clinical Information Form for Muscle Biopsies. Return the completed form to UF Health Pathology Laboratories with the submitted biopsy sample.

Instructions for Preparing and Shipping Muscle Biopsies to UF Health Pathology Laboratories

1. Submitted muscle biopsies must be
at least 1 cm3. Wrap the muscle
specimen in the provided sterile,
saline-moistened gauze); do not allow
the specimen to float in saline.

2. Place the moist-gauze-wrapped muscle
specimen into the provided labeled
sterile container and seal it tightly.

3. Fill one biohazard bag with the
specimen container and seal it. Fill
the second bag with the associated
documentation and seal it. Fill the
third bag with wet ice and seal it.
Muscle Biopsy
4. Place the wet ice bag inside the
bottom of the cooler. Next, place the
bag with the specimen container on
top of the ice bag. Lastly, place the bag
with the documentation on top of the
specimen bag and seal the cooler.

5. Ship the container to UF Health
Pathology Laboratories using the
appropriate shipping label (Monday –
Thursday only; do not ship muscle
specimens on Fridays for Saturday
delivery.). Include the completed
Clinical Information Sheet for Muscle
Biopsies.