Exudate Assessment Flow Chart

B["Check Color"]; A --> C["Check Viscosity"]; A --> D["Check Odour"]; B --> B1["Clear/Amber"] B --> B2["Cloudy/Milky"] B --> B3["Red/Pink"] B --> B4["Green"] B --> B5["Yellow/Brown"] B --> B6["Grey/Blue"] B1["Clear/Amber
Normal serous exudate
Possible S. aureus"] B2["Cloudy/Milky
Fibrin strands
Inflammation/Infection"] B3["Red/Pink
Contains RBCs
Capillary damage"] B4["Green
Possible bacterial infection
esp. P. aeruginosa"] B5["Yellow/Brown
Possible fistula
contamination"] B6["Grey/Blue
May be from
silver dressings"] C --> C1["High Viscosity"] C --> C2["Low Viscosity"] C1 --> C1a["Higher protein content
Inflammatory response
Possible infection"] C2 --> C2a["Low protein content
Possible malnutrition
Venous/cardiac issues"] D --> D1["Malodorous"] D --> D2["Normal"] D1 --> D1a"> B["Check Color"]; A --> C["Check Viscosity"]; A --> D["Check Odour"]; B --> B1["Clear/Amber"] B --> B2["Cloudy/Milky"] B --> B3["Red/Pink"] B --> B4["Green"] B --> B5["Yellow/Brown"] B --> B6["Grey/Blue"] B1["Clear/Amber
Normal serous exudate
Possible S. aureus"] B2["Cloudy/Milky
Fibrin strands
Inflammation/Infection"] B3["Red/Pink
Contains RBCs
Capillary damage"] B4["Green
Possible bacterial infection
esp. P. aeruginosa"] B5["Yellow/Brown
Possible fistula
contamination"] B6["Grey/Blue
May be from
silver dressings"] C --> C1["High Viscosity"] C --> C2["Low Viscosity"] C1 --> C1a["Higher protein content
Inflammatory response
Possible infection"] C2 --> C2a["Low protein content
Possible malnutrition
Venous/cardiac issues"] D --> D1["Malodorous"] D --> D2["Normal"] D1 --> D1a"> B["Check Color"]; A --> C["Check Viscosity"]; A --> D["Check Odour"]; B --> B1["Clear/Amber"] B --> B2["Cloudy/Milky"] B --> B3["Red/Pink"] B --> B4["Green"] B --> B5["Yellow/Brown"] B --> B6["Grey/Blue"] B1["Clear/Amber
Normal serous exudate
Possible S. aureus"] B2["Cloudy/Milky
Fibrin strands
Inflammation/Infection"] B3["Red/Pink
Contains RBCs
Capillary damage"] B4["Green
Possible bacterial infection
esp. P. aeruginosa"] B5["Yellow/Brown
Possible fistula
contamination"] B6["Grey/Blue
May be from
silver dressings"] C --> C1["High Viscosity"] C --> C2["Low Viscosity"] C1 --> C1a["Higher protein content
Inflammatory response
Possible infection"] C2 --> C2a["Low protein content
Possible malnutrition
Venous/cardiac issues"] D --> D1["Malodorous"] D --> D2["Normal"] D1 --> D1a">

graph TD;
    A["Assess Exudate"] --> B["Check Color"];
    A --> C["Check Viscosity"];
    A --> D["Check Odour"];
    
    B --> B1["Clear/Amber"]
    B --> B2["Cloudy/Milky"]
    B --> B3["Red/Pink"]
    B --> B4["Green"]
    B --> B5["Yellow/Brown"]
    B --> B6["Grey/Blue"]
    
    B1["Clear/Amber<br/>Normal serous exudate<br/>Possible S. aureus"] 
    B2["Cloudy/Milky<br/>Fibrin strands<br/>Inflammation/Infection"]
    B3["Red/Pink<br/>Contains RBCs<br/>Capillary damage"]
    B4["Green<br/>Possible bacterial infection<br/>esp. P. aeruginosa"]
    B5["Yellow/Brown<br/>Possible fistula<br/>contamination"]
    B6["Grey/Blue<br/>May be from<br/>silver dressings"]
    
    C --> C1["High Viscosity"]
    C --> C2["Low Viscosity"]
    
    C1 --> C1a["Higher protein content<br/>Inflammatory response<br/>Possible infection"]
    C2 --> C2a["Low protein content<br/>Possible malnutrition<br/>Venous/cardiac issues"]
    
    D --> D1["Malodorous"]
    D --> D2["Normal"]
    
    D1 --> D1a["May indicate:<br/>- Infection<br/>- Necrotic tissue"]
    D2 --> D2a["Monitor for changes"]