Pathophysiology
1. Yellow, green or dirty gray Sputum Color
2. Color is related to Leukocyte released peroxidase
3. Color alone does not distinguish bacterial infection
Small amounts of Purulent Sputum
1. Upper respiratory source
2. Lung source
  1. Pneumonia (resolving)
  2. Tuberculosis
  3. Lung Abscess
Large amounts of Purulent Sputum
1. Lung Abscess (less Sputum than other causes below)
2. Bronchiectasis (200-500 ml/day Sputum)
3. Bronchopleural Fistula (Copious amounts of Sputum)

Purulent sputum (C0241235)
Concepts	Sign or Symptom (T184)
SnomedCT	42192008
English	SPUTUM, PURULENT, Expectoration of purulent sputum, Sputum Purulent, Sputum purulent, Purulent sputum, Purulent sputum (finding)
Italian	Espettorato purulento
Japanese	膿性痰, ﾉｳｾｲﾀﾝ
Czech	Hnisavé sputum
Hungarian	purulens köpet
Spanish	esputo purulento (hallazgo), esputo purulento, expectoración de esputo purulento (hallazgo), expectoración de esputo purulento, Esputo purulento
Portuguese	Expectoração purulenta
Dutch	sputum purulent
French	Crachat purulent
German	Sputum eitrig
Sources	Derived from the NIH UMLS (Unified Medical Language System)

Family Practice Notebook

Patients should address specific medical concerns with their physicians.

Although access to this page is not restricted, the information found here is intended for use by medical providers.

This page was written by Scott Moses, MD, last revised on 10/21/2007 and last published on 5/14/2013.

This is one of 5887 pages in the Family Practice Notebook

http://www.fpnotebook.com/

Purulent Sputum