Towards the Development of Personalized Medicine: A Novel Tissue Preservation System for the Automation and Standardization of Brain Tumor Harvesting in a Surgical Setting
Authors: Cartwright Martina 
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Collection of quality brain tumor bio‐specimens is paramount to subsequent molecular research and clinical decision‐making. Current manual brain tumor procurement, stabilization, preservation and transport methodologies may jeopardize the quality of harvested tissue, thereby compromising the accuracy of subsequent molecular results and disease management. The Tissue Preservation System™, TPS, (NICO Inc. Indianapolis, IN.) is a novel device that automates and standardizes the brain tumor tissue collection process in the operating room. Here the TPS methodology as implemented in United States hospitals is reported.

Methods

The TPS (NICO Inc.) consists of a NICO Myriad™ console; specimen collector and filter element. These three elements exist within a portable, closed, interconnected sterile system that measures 12 × 24 × 8 inches, residing on a 39‐inch (height) cart. The methodology includes: Automated Harvesting; Automated Collection; Chilling/Temperature Monitoring; Tissue Perfusion/Preservation and Transport. Briefly, brain tumors are surgically harvested by a neurosurgeon using the NICO Myriad™, an FDA cleared suction/microscissor device that transects tissues and suctions the bio‐specimen into a sterile collection chamber. The closed, sterile, specimen collection chamber is affixed with a 300Aμm filter and housed within a Styrofoam chiller. Harvested tissue is held within the collection chamber and perfused with preservation media of choice. The chilling apparatus keeps bio‐specimens on ice at 4–8 °C or dry ice. Bio‐specimen collection chambers are labeled with institution‐specific identifiers (e.g.: name, birthdate etc.) according to each institution's standard operating procedures. Labeled samples are then transported in a closed, controlled temperature environment from the operating room to the pathology laboratory for analysis.

Results

The TPS system: 1. Automates the inter‐operating room collection, preservation and storage of all resected brain tumor bio‐specimens in a closed, sterile environment; and 2. Provides stable temperature control of tissue samples within the operating room and during transport from the operating room to the laboratory. A dozen United States hospitals currently utilize TPS methodology. Preliminary observations suggest greater tumor specimen volume/yield and cellular viability as compared with manual tumor harvesting techniques. Further, the TPS methodology is tailored to individual institutional standard operating procedures for tissue acquisition and transport and allows automated tumor harvesting from distinct anatomical locations.

Conclusions

The TPS represents a novel methodology that automates and standardizes the collection of brain tumor tissue within the operative theater. Here the step‐wise process of procurement, stabilization, preservation and transport of fresh tumor tissue is described. The TPS limits bio‐sample exposure to environmental factors, thereby likely enhancing tissue quality for subsequent molecular analysis and tissue banking—key components in the development of personalized medicine strategies. Further studies are required to confirm these hypotheses. The current TPS methodology demonstrates that the TPS is a compact, portable, automated and efficient device that addresses methodological limitations of current fresh tumor harvesting, collection and transport methods.

Support or Funding Information

Dr. Cartwright is a scientific consultant to NICO Inc.