Results are generally available 14 days after receipt of the specimen.

Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

GENERAL: Correct interpretation of muscle and nerve biopsies is strongly dependent on the clinical setting. It is therefore imperative that pertinent clinical information, including medications and the name of the physician responsible for the patient, accompanies the specimen. This may be either faxed (503-494-2025) the day the specimen is shipped, or preferably e-mailed to NPohsu.edu. (Opens in a new window) E-mail information may be sent in advance as long as the approximate date of surgery is indicated. Specimens without history will be evaluated by H&E stain only.

NERVE: Preferred Length: 1.5 cm. Avoid stretching or crushing nerve. Keeping the fresh nerve straight, place it on a narrow strip of filter paper, cut slightly longer than the nerve. Immerse in 10% neutral buffered formalin. The nerve will adhere to the paper and this will maintain the orientation of the fibers.

SHIPMENT: Arrival at OHSU should be no later that 4:00 pm.
Notify Neuromuscle Lab at 503-494-6781 of expected delivery time and additional pertinent information e.g. flight number, arrival time, air waybill number, FedEx tracking number.

SHIPPING LABEL INFORMATION:

• Cab or courier:
  • Hatfield Laboratory Services
    Rm HRC9D20
    Hatfield Research Center
    3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road
    Portland, OR
    Notify Neuromuscle Lab, pager 16822, upon arrival
• FedEx:
  • SURGICALPATHOLOGYL471
    OHSU
    Matthew Wood, MD, PhD
    3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road
    Portland, OR 97239
    Attn: Neuromuscle Lab, pager 16822
• Air:
  • Matthew Wood, MD, PhD
    Surgical Pathology, L471
    OHSU
    3181 SW Sam Jackson Park RD
    Portland, OR 97239
    Attn: Neuromuscle Lab, pager 16822

ADDENDUM:
Re: Arrival of specimens at OHSU- alternative procedure for nerves.
If the specimen cannot be delivered to OHSU by 4:00 pm, the following procedure can be followed:

The specimen should be retained at the sending lab until the following OHSU workday. Specimens should be kept on saline-moistened (not soaked) gauze, in a dry closed container, in the refrigerator. If the following day is a Saturday or a holiday, then the specimen should be held (even over the weekend if necessary), until the next available OHSU workday. The next morning, OHSU should be contacted prior to shipping, and then the specimen shipped in the morning on moistened gauze, in a dry container, on wet ice, to Hatfield Laboratory Services at OHSU. This is not the recommended treatment for optimal preservation of the specimen. Consideration should be given to rescheduling the biopsy to allow coordination between the sending facility and OHSU.

In all cases, it is imperative to notify the Neuromuscle Lab, 503 494-6781, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm before sending the specimen.

Contact: Muscle Lab at 503 494-6781