Obtaining Induced Sputum

Induced sputum is considered in a situation where a person is unable to provide sputum sample in sufficient quantity for Tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic test. This situation is more evident in children.

• Sputum induction is usually done using 3% nebulized hypertonic saline.
• The patient is pretreated with nebulized bronchodilators like salbutamol prior to induction.
• Following saline nebulization, chest physiotherapy is done to loosen up the secretion and the samples are collected from the throat or nasopharynx using a collector attached to a suction at one end and a catheter/ tube to the other.
• The suction catheter provokes cough and the secretions brought up are collected via suction.

Sputum Induction has to be carried out only in a clinical setting under the close supervision of a trained medical practitioner.

Resources

• National Guidelines on Diagnosis and Treatment of Paediatric Tuberculosis, Central TB Division, MoHFW.

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