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Sputum Gross ExamAka: Sputum Color

See Also
1. Sputum Collection
2. Sputum Microscopy
Estimate daily volume of Sputum
1. Small amounts
2. Copious amounts (>200 cc/day)
  1. Bronchiectasis
  2. Bronchopleural Fistula
Sputum Color
1. Bloody Sputum (Hemoptysis)
2. Rusty Sputum (Prune-juice)
  1. Pneumococcal Pneumonia
3. Purulent Sputum (yellow, green, dirty-gray)
  1. Color alone does not distinguish bacterial infection
Sputum Turbidity
1. Frothy Sputum (air bubbles, Hemoglobin)
  1. Pulmonary edema
2. Foamy, clear material
  1. Saliva
  2. Nasal secretions
Sputum Viscosity
1. Bloody Gelatinous Sputum (Currant-Jelly)
  1. Klebsiella Pneumonia
  2. Pneumococcal Pneumonia
2. Stringy Mucoid Sputum (may also appear frothy)
  1. Follows Asthma exacerbation
3. Cloudy, mucoid Sputum
  1. Chronic Bronchitis
4. Three layered appearance (stagnant, Purulent Sputum)
  1. Bronchiectasis
  2. Lung Abscess
Sputum with Feculent Odor
1. Anaerobic infection
2. Bronchiectasis

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 5/10/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.