1. All specimens must be labelled clearly with the patient’s name, age, identification number, type of specimen and date of collection.

2. All specimens should bear the same identification as that written on the request forms.

3. Routine specimens can be sent anytime (during office hours) to the main counter of the Department of Pathology, Hospital Melaka. 

4. Specimens from the operation theatre should be sent to the laboratory by 4.30 pm on the same working day.

5. Specimens collected after 5.00 pm can be sent to the laboratory main counter by 9.00 am on the next working day.

1. Any request for a frozen section for organ transplant, please contact the medical officer/ anatomical pathologist on-call.

2. Discuss the case with anatomical pathologist on-call to fix the time for frozen section.

3. Doctor in-charge has to inform the anatomical pathologist on-call before sending the specimen to the histopathology laboratory.

4. Label specimen correctly and fill up the request form PER-PAT 301 completely with the surgeon's name and contact number.

5. Specimen to be sent personally by the doctor to the Histopathology laboratory immediately and to wait for the result.

1. Specimens collected should be fixed in 10% Neutral Buffered Formalin and must be completely immersed in adequate fixative (approximately sample: fixative ratio of 1:10).

2. Specimens should be sent in an appropriate container according to the size of specimen to prevent traumatizing the tissue.

3. Specimens from different anatomical sites should be sent in separate containers, properly labelled and must be clearly itemized in the request form.

4. For cases where surgical margins are of importance, the margins must be indicated by sutures on the specimen or diagrammatically indicated in the request form.

1. 1. All requests for frozen section must be done using Frozen Section Request Form (HM/HP/WI-014/01) and to be sent at least 3 working days before the scheduled operation.

   2. Fresh tissues collected for frozen section should be placed in a sterile container.

   3. Do not include formalin/ saline/ filter paper/ wet gauze/ cotton swab/ sponge/ needle with the specimen.

   4. Specimens from different margins should be sent in separate containers, properly labelled and must be clearly itemized in the request form.

   5. Specimen is to be sent personally by the doctor to the histology laboratory immediately.

   6. The doctor is to wait for the result.

   7. Specimen is to be labelled correctly, a direct contact phone number and the surgeon’s name must be written on the request form.

   8. Ensure the contact line is reachable to inform the result. 

   9. Result of the first specimen will be informed within 45 minutes of reception.

1. Fresh tissue should be placed in a sterile container which contains at least 10ml of Phosphate Buffered Saline.

2. Specimen to be sent immediately to the Histopathology laboratory (Within 1 hour). 

1. Tissue blocks or unstained slides should be sent to the laboratory  together with the request form PER-PAT 301.

2. Prior discussion with the pathologist is required.

Tissues requiring any specialized tests for example tissue for electron microscopy should be sent in proper fixatives using a standardized protocol and prior discussion with the pathologist.

1. Clinical autopsy is requested by a specialist and performed by a pathologist on call.

2. Consent for clinical autopsy should be obtained by the requesting specialist using Borang Keizinan Bedah Siasat Klinikal (Clinical Post-Mortem).

3. The requesting specialist from the clinical department is required to be present during the autopsy. 

4. All histopathological specimens collected from the autopsy will be sent to the histopathology laboratory for processing. 

5. The autopsy report will be issued by the pathologist on call.

1. Specimens that had been grossed and put in the cassette should be sent to the laboratory together with the request form PER-PAT 301.

2. Specimen to be sent personally by the staff of the Forensic Department to the laboratory.

1. Specimens must be labelled clearly with the patient’s name, age, identification number, type of specimen and date of collection. 

2. Specimens should bear the same identification as that written on the request forms.

3. Specimens from different anatomical sites should be sent in separate containers, properly labelled and using separate request forms.

4. Specimens can be sent anytime (during office hours) to the main counter at Department of Pathology, Hospital Melaka.

5. Specimens should be sent to the laboratory by 4.30 pm on the same working day.

6. Specimens collected after 5.00 pm, must be refrigerated at 2-8˚C and sent to the laboratory main counter by 9.00 am on the next working day.

1. Label a clean glass slide with the patient's name and IC number with a pencil on the frosted end. 

2. Specimen to be collected prior to bimanual examination.

3. Use an unlubricated speculum (If necessary only water may be used).

4. No douching or sexual intercourse prior to specimen collection.

5. The end of the spatula is inserted into the cervical os and rotated 360°.

6. The specimen adherent to the spatula is spread evenly across the labelled glass slide.

7. The slide must be spray fixed immediately or by immersion in 95% ethyl alcohol for a minimum of 30 minutes after which it may be safely removed and stored dry at room temperature.

8. Place the slide in a slide mailer and dispatch to the cytology laboratory.

1. Centralised FNAC Clinic

   • The FNAC clinic is conducted at the Breast Clinic on appointment basis:

     • Monday and Wednesday (9.30am – 12.30pm): Breast cases

       • (Appointment given by Breast Clinic)

     • Tuesday and Thursday (10.00am – 12.30pm): Non-breast cases

       • (Appointment given by Cytology Lab)

     • Consent for FNAC is the responsibility of the doctor attending to the case.

2. Ultrasound Guided FNAC

   • Non-palpable lesions are done in the Diagnostic Imaging Department by the Radiologist.

   • Appointment will be made through the Diagnostic Imaging Department.

   • Procedure is done on Tuesday and Wednesday: 2.30pm – 4.30pm.

   • Consent for FNAC is the responsibility of the doctor attending to the case.

3. Mobile FNAC to ward

   • Mobile FNAC service available for bed-ridden patients from wards and paediatric inpatient under age of 8 on appointment basis.

   • Appointment is given by the Cytology Lab.

   • Consent for FNAC is the responsibility of the doctor attending to the case.

1. Specimen is to be collected into a sterile container and sent to the laboratory immediately for urgent processing. 

2. Specimens collected after 5.00 pm, must be refrigerated at 2-8˚C and sent to the laboratory main counter by 9.00 am on the next working day.

3. If the volume of body fluid is too large, a representative specimen (not exceeding 100ml) can be sent in a sterile container with the actual volume stated in the form.

Specimen is to be collected in a sterile container and sent to the laboratory immediately for processing.

1. Brush should be rotated gently but rapidly on a small area of the slide and the smear is then fixed in 95% ethyl alcohol immediately for at least 10 minutes.

2. Smears are to be sent to the laboratory immediately.

3. All glass slides should be sent in a slide mailer to prevent damages. (Slide mailer can be obtained from the Cytology Laboratory)

1. Morning specimen is required i.e., before breakfast after rinsing mouth with water.

2. Deep cough specimen is required.

3. Cough into a wide mouth container and despatch immediately for processing.

4. If there is a long delay, sputum can be collected into a container with 50% alcohol (15 – 20 ml) as fixative.

5. 3 samples, if possible, a few days apart, are required to eliminate false negatives.

1. Specimens should be collected by applying the glass slide directly to the nipple, followed by immediate fixation/air-dried.

2. All glass slides should be sent in a slide mailer to prevent damages. (Slide mailer can be obtained from the Cytology Laboratory)

1. A catheterized specimen is preferred. 

2. Collect random urine specimen directly into a clean container and dispatch them to the laboratory for processing.

3. If there is a delay, collect it in an equal volume of 50% ethanol as fixative.

Note: Use of fixative is not encouraged as it can cause changes in the specimen. It is highly recommended that freshly collected specimens be sent to the laboratory immediately. 

1. Scrape the inside of the cheek firmly with a tongue depressor.

2. Immediately spread the cells on a labelled glass slide using a single spreading motion.

3. Immediately place the smear in 95% ethyl alcohol for fixation. Leave the smear in the fixative, prolonged immersion is not harmful.

4. All glass slides should be sent in a slide mailer to prevent damages. (Slide mailer can be obtained from the Cytology Laboratory)

1. Clinician/ clinic staff should give the patient an appointment date (Monday to Thursday only).

*Maximum 4 patients per day.

2. Clinician/ clinic staff should explain and instruct the patient to follow the guidelines of collection of seminal fluid according to Borang Temujanji Untuk Semen Analysis.

3. Collection should follow a period of sexual abstinence of 2-7 days.

4. The specimen is collected by masturbation or by coitus interruptus into a sterile container.

5. Time of collection should be recorded on the container provided and on the Borang Temujanji Untuk Semen Analysis.

6. Patient should send the specimen immediately or within 1 hour after collection to the laboratory.

Note: Condoms, even when thoroughly washed and rinsed, contain spermicidal agents, and must not be used. Exposure of spermatozoa to cold and heat should be avoided.