Effect of Sterile Collecting Containers and Fixation Delaying in Urine Cytology Applied to Females with Vaginal Discharges

Abstract

This is a descriptive study, to show the effect of fixation time (after collection) of urine specimens on subsequent staining quality and preservation of cells were evaluated in 300 smears prepared from 50 urine samples. Three limits of fixation were applied: immediate fixation, fixation after two hours and fixation after four hours. Of the 50 immediately fixed urine specimens, most of stained smears showed very good staining quality constituting 36(72%) followed by good, excellent and poor constituting, 7(14%), 3(6%) and 1(2%), respectively. Concerning staining quality of urine cells fixed after two hours. Of the 50 specimens, 14(28%) smears have showed well preserved cells, 25(50%) were partially degenerated cells and the remaining 11(22%) were containing completely degenerated cells. After four hours of fixation, the majority containing partially degenerated cells, representing 25(50%) followed by completed degenerated cells and well preserved cells constituting 20 (40%) and 5(10%) correspondingly. The staining quality for immediately fixed smears and smears fixed after 2hours was categorized as, excellent (3 and 0) very good (36 and 1), good (9 and 20) and poor (2 and 20) for both (immediate fixation and fixation after 2 hours) respectively. These findings indicated that the preservation of urine cells as well as their subsequent staining quality deteriorates with time and the difference was statistically significant in each 2hours interval after the immediate time of collection P< 0.001. Delay in fixation of urine specimens for cytological investigations; significantly deteriorate the preservation of cells as well as the subsequent staining quality. Sterility of collection container doesn’t seem to affect the preservation and quality of staining, particularly if the preparation is instantly fixed.