Foreign body reactions and an associated histological artefact due to bone wax.

Bone wax has been used since the turn of the century as a mechanical aid to haemostasis following surgical procedures. That it may produce a foreign body giant cell reaction in a significant proportion of cases is well known. The occurrence of this material in specimens received in the laboratory is poorly documented. Four cases are described to bring attention to this exogenous agent which, it is suggested, should feature in tables of pigments and other materials occurring in tissue specimens.