Sputum Culture
PATIENT INFO |
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PHYSICIAN INFO |
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Additional Report to: |
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TESTS REQUESTED | |
Test Name: | ICD9 Code: (required) |
1. Sputum Culture | |
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SPECIMEN INFO |
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Collect specimen resulting from a deep cough into sterile cup. A specimen may be obtained by sterile suction technique using a Luki-trap by passing a sterile suction catheter along floor of nose to nasopharynx. When the patient coughs, suction the specimen into trap.
Obtain specimen by suction only with physician order.
Twenty-four hour sputum collections are not recommended for culture.
If possible, have the patient rinse mouth and gargle with water prior to sputum collection. Instruct the patient not to spit saliva or postnasal discharge into the container.
A gram stain smear result on sputum specimens will show epithelial cells. A sputum specimen containing > 25 epithelial cells per low power field has been contaminated with oropharyngeal secretions during collection, indicating a poor-quality specimen for culture. Lab may indicate the need for specimen recollection. Lab evaluates the specimen for the predominant pathogenic morphotype if the physician requests a culture on available specimen.
For culture of sputum from Cystic fibrosis patients, please order the Sputum Culture, CF (LAB1018) test.