Table 3.

Types of exudate

Characteristic	Possible cause
Clear, amber	Serious exudate, often considered ‘normal’, but may be associated with infection by fibrinolysin-producing bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus; may also be due to fluid from a urinary or lymphatic fistula
Cloudy, milky or creamy	May indicate the presence of fibrin stands (fibrinous exudate—a response to inflammation) or infection (purulent exudate containing white blood cells and bacteria)
Pink or Red	Due to the presence of red blood cells and indicating capillary damage (sanguineous or hemorrhagic exudate)
Green	May be indicative of bacterial infection, e.g. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Yellow or brown	May be due to the presence of wound slough or material from an enteric or urinary fistula