Retrieval of kidney tissue for light microscopy from frozen tissue processed for immunofluorescence: A simple procedure to avoid repeat kidney biopsies

We highlight a method that is helpful in situations where the tissue sent for LM is inadequate whereas the tissue sent for IF showed glomeruli useful for interpretation. We utilized the leftover frozen tissue after the sections for IF were taken. This tissue was post-fixed in formalin for the purpose of light microscopic diagnosis. The glomerular pathology could be commented upon with a fair degree of accuracy and a repeat biopsy was avoided in 74.7% of the cases. However, the tubules showed marked fixation artefact and tubular pathology was distorted. This procedure can help to reach a correct diagnosis in large percentage of cases otherwise labeled as inadequate biopsy and hence, save the patient from the trauma of a repeat biopsy.