Exudate is a fluid that oozes from damaged tissue, containing water, proteins, bacteria, lymph, and other materials. It can aid in healing, but can also hinder it depending on the quantity and quality of the fluid. Exudate can occur within the body, causing medical complications. Treatment varies depending on the location and cause of the buildup.
Exudate is a fluid that oozes from damaged tissue. It can be the result of trauma, inflammation, or an underlying disease process that compromises the tissue. A classic example of exudate is pus, which is found in some types of wounds as they heal. Depending on the quantity and quality of the fluid, the exudate can help or hinder healing, and sometimes the characteristics of the fluids expressed reveal information about the progress of healing. Microscopic examination can reveal more about what’s inside the fluid, which can help a doctor make decisions about treatment recommendations.
Water is a major constituent of exudate, which should come as no surprise, as it makes up a large part of the body. The fluid also contains proteins from blood and tissue cells, and can also include bacteria, lymph, and other materials. Some exudate flows out of damaged tissue slowly, building up gradually over time, while in other cases, fluid can flow out very quickly, building up in and around a wound.
While it may be unsightly, fluid leaking from damaged cells can be a good thing. It often carries infectious and dead material out of the body so they cannot continue to contribute to inflammatory processes, providing a method to flush the body. It can also keep a wound moist, which can aid in healing with some types of wounds, and create a filmy barrier that protects a wound from the outside. If wounds become too dry, the healing process is sometimes disrupted and the area may be at risk of infection from microbes that exploit cracks in the dry skin.
People often notice small amounts of exudate on the bandages when they change them. Slow infiltration indicates that healing is occurring under the bandage, but that inflammation is still ongoing. If the exudate has a strong odor, is copious, or turns a strange color, it could be a sign that an infection has set in and more medical attention is needed to treat the wound.
Exudate can also occur within the body. Pleural effusion, in which the space around the lungs fills with fluid, can be caused by exudate. Likewise, fluid leakage can lead to edema. In these cases, the body cannot express the leaked fluid as quickly as it is generated and creates medical complications. Treatment for fluid buildups varies depending on where they are located in the body, the cause of the buildup, and the patient’s overall health.
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