Surgically Removed Specimens Not Required for Submission to Pathology

Surgically Removed Specimens Not Required for Submission to Pathology

The following specimens may be exempt from laboratory examination:

• Amputated limbs due to trauma, non-union, and/or dysfunction
• Aspirated and/or impacted food or foreign material. 
• Blood clot
• Bullets, missiles and weapons; removal must be recorded in the medical record.
• Bunions/claw toes/hammertoes.
• Cataract lenses, iris, and muscle fragments.
• Donor organs for transplantation.
• Ear ossicles (staples, incus, malleus).
• Extra digits.
• Eyelid tissue removed for cosmetic surgery only.
• Fat removed by liposuction.
• Foreign objects/foreign body.
• Grossly unremarkable foreskin from circumcision of a newborn.
• Intrauterine devices.
• Intravascular catheters
• Medical devices not contributing to patient illness, injury or death (e.g. gastrostomy tubes, stents, sutures).
• Meniscus.
• Mucosa, bone, and cartilage removed during plastic surgical procedures for non-neoplastic disease (ex. septoplasty and uvulectomy).
• Nasal septal cartilage and/or bone.
• Normal rib removed for surgical access (provided no history of malignancy).Normal skin from plastic surgery procedures.
• Oral hardware
• Orthopedic hardware.
• Pacemakers and other medical devices.
• Placentas without medical indications.
• Products of conception/fetus when family or clinician does not request an exam and there is no suspicion of ectopic pregnancy or anomalies
• Surgical specimens obtained from an arthroscopic knee procedure where documentation exists of the pathologic changes confirming the indications for the procedure and the presence of disease, (ex. permanent photographic or video record).
• Teeth, removal must be recorded in the medical record.
• Tissue from acromio-clavicular joint surgery.
• Tissue from rotator cuff repair.
• Tissue removed from joint replacement surgery, for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and reconstructive purposes.
• Tissue such as ligamentum flavum, intervertebral disc fragments, and bone removed during routine spinal surgery
• Toenails and fingernails that are grossly unremarkable.
• Traumatically amputated digits.
• Vaginal mucosa for repair.
• Varicose veins

If the physician desires further documentation or evaluation of any of the above specimens, the laboratory will accept them and provide gross documentation and will do microscopic examination if requested and if feasible for the type of specimen submitted.