Cryostat down? How to minimize Mohs lab downtime

In a Mohs or histology lab, the cryostat is the heartbeat. When it goes down, sectioning stops — and a stopped cryostat can mean a cancelled surgery day, rescheduled patients, and lost revenue. Here's how to reduce both the odds and the impact.

Why cryostats fail

Most failures trace back to refrigeration issues, defrost or vacuum problems, mechanical wear in the sectioning mechanism, or deferred maintenance catching up all at once. The common thread: many are preventable with scheduled service.

When it's already down: act fast

• Confirm it's the cryostat, not the environment — check power, room temperature, and that nothing's obstructing airflow.
• Don't keep forcing it — running a failing unit can deepen the damage.
• Call for prioritized repair — cryostat downtime is an emergency, and it should be triaged like one.
• Have a documentation trail — a service record helps diagnose recurring issues faster.

A cryostat doesn't fail at a convenient time — preventive service is how you keep it from failing at the worst one.

The real fix: stay ahead of it

High-volume Mohs labs benefit from scheduled cryostat preventive maintenance — temperature verification, mechanical adjustment, safety checks, and decontamination — so the unit is far less likely to quit mid-case. And when something does go wrong, a partner who prioritizes cryostat repair gets you back to sectioning fast.