What is the term for a mixture of blood and pus?

Medical Terminology for Mixtures of Blood and Pus

The medical term for a mixture of blood and pus is "hemorrhagic pus" or "sanguinopurulent discharge." 1

Terminology for Different Types of Discharge

• Serosanguinous: A mixture of serum (the clear portion of blood) and blood; appears pink or blood-tinged 1
• Purulosanguinous (also called sanguinopurulent): A mixture of pus and blood; appears as bloody pus 1
• Purulent: Consisting of pure pus; typically appears thick, opaque, and yellow-white 1
• Hemorrhagic pus: Another term specifically referring to pus mixed with blood 1

Clinical Significance of Different Types of Discharge

• The presence of pus indicates an active infection with accumulation of white blood cells (primarily neutrophils) fighting the infection 1, 2

• Purulent discharge is commonly seen in:

  • Cutaneous abscesses 1
  • Infected epidermoid cysts 1
  • Furuncles and carbuncles 1
  • Empyema (collection of pus in the pleural space) 1, 3

• Blood mixed with pus (sanguinopurulent discharge) may indicate:

  • Active infection with tissue damage causing bleeding 1
  • More severe or invasive infections 2
  • Possible trauma to the infected area 1

Diagnostic Considerations

• Visual assessment of discharge type has only moderate predictive value for specific pathogens 1
• The appearance of discharge should not be the sole criterion for determining infection type or severity 4
• Gram stain and culture of purulent or sanguinopurulent material are recommended for proper identification of causative organisms 1
• In a study of joint infections, purulence alone had high sensitivity (0.82) but poor specificity (0.32) for diagnosing periprosthetic joint infection 4

Treatment Implications

• The presence of pus (whether mixed with blood or not) generally indicates the need for drainage in addition to antimicrobial therapy 1
• For abscesses, furuncles, and carbuncles, incision and drainage is the primary treatment, with antibiotics being adjunctive therapy based on systemic symptoms 1
• For empyema or other enclosed collections of pus, drainage via appropriate methods (chest tube, surgical drainage) is typically required 1, 3

Historical Context

• Historically, the presence of pus was sometimes referred to as "laudable pus" and was considered a sign of healing 2
• This misconception arose from observing that necrotizing soft tissue infections (which have high mortality) often lack visible pus, while more common and less severe infections produce abundant pus 2
• Modern understanding recognizes pus as a sign of active infection requiring appropriate intervention 1, 2