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    Normal and Abnormal Characteristic of Sputum

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    Kim Chamos
    The document describes the normal and abnormal characteristics of sputum. Normally, sputum is clear in color and ranges from scant to copious in amount. It has a semi-liquid consistency and little to no odor. Abnormally, sputum can be blood-streaked, rusty colored, or purulent, indicating potential lung infections or conditions like pneumonia, lung cancer, or pulmonary edema. Certain abnormal colors provide clues to effective treatment approaches.

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    Normal and Abnormal Characteristic of Sputum

    Uploaded by

    Kim Chamos
    7K views2 pages
    The document describes the normal and abnormal characteristics of sputum. Normally, sputum is clear in color and ranges from scant to copious in amount. It has a semi-liquid consistency and little to no odor. Abnormally, sputum can be blood-streaked, rusty colored, or purulent, indicating potential lung infections or conditions like pneumonia, lung cancer, or pulmonary edema. Certain abnormal colors provide clues to effective treatment approaches.

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    The document describes the normal and abnormal characteristics of sputum. Normally, sputum is clear in color and ranges from scant to copious in amount. It has a semi-liquid consistency and little to no odor. Abnormally, sputum can be blood-streaked, rusty colored, or purulent, indicating potential lung infections or conditions like pneumonia, lung cancer, or pulmonary edema. Certain abnormal colors provide clues to effective treatment approaches.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    7K views2 pages

    Normal and Abnormal Characteristic of Sputum

    Uploaded by

    Kim Chamos
    The document describes the normal and abnormal characteristics of sputum. Normally, sputum is clear in color and ranges from scant to copious in amount. It has a semi-liquid consistency and little to no odor. Abnormally, sputum can be blood-streaked, rusty colored, or purulent, indicating potential lung infections or conditions like pneumonia, lung cancer, or pulmonary edema. Certain abnormal colors provide clues to effective treatment approaches.

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    Normal and Abnormal Characteristic of Sputum A.

    NORMAL
    Amount -The amount may be scant, moderate, or copious. (a) Scant. Scant means a small amount. (b) Copious. Copious means a large amount. (c) Moderate. A moderate amount is more than scant but less than copious. Color -Normal sputum is clear. Abnormal sputum, such as caused by a lung disease, may be green, yellow, reddish or pinkish (mixed with blood), or gray. Character -Sputum may be watery, semi-liquid, viscous, or frothy. (a) Watery. Watery sputum is thin and usually colorless. (b) Viscous. Viscous sputum is very thick, firm, and stays together. (c) Semi-liquid. The normal thickness of sputum is semi-liquid. It is thicker than watery sputum but not as thick as viscous sputum. Frothy -Frothy sputum is foam-like and contains many small air bubbles. Odor -Normal sputum has little or no odor. Abnormal sputum may have a sweaty smell or a foul and offensive smell.

    B. ABNORMAL
    1. Bloody (Hemoptysis) blood-streaked sputum - inflammation of throat, bronchi; lung cancer;

    Pink sputum - sputum evenly mixed with blood, from alveoli, small bronchi; Massive blood - cavitary tuberculosis of lung, lung abscess, bronchiectasis, infarction, embolism. 2. Rusty colored - usually caused by pneumococcal bacteria (in pneumonia) 3. Purulent - containing pus. The color can provide hints as to effective treatment in Chronic Bronchitis Patients[5]: Yellow-greenish (mucopurulent) color suggests that treatment with antibiotics can reduce symptoms. Green color is caused by Neutrophil Myeloperoxidase. White, milky, or opaque (mucoid) appearance often means that antibiotics will be ineffective in treating symptoms. (This information may correlate with the presence of bacterial or viral infections, though current research does not support that generalization.) 4. Foamy white - may come from obstruction or even edema. 5. Frothy pink - pulmonary edema

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