Curschmann's spirals

Curschmann's spirals are a microscopic finding in the sputum of asthmatics. They are spiral-shaped mucus plugs from subepithelial mucous gland ducts of bronchi. They may occur in several different lung diseases^[1] and may refer to parts of the desquamated epithelium seen in lavages from asthmatic patients.^[2] These microscopic casts are named after German physician Heinrich Curschmann (1846-1910). They are often seen in association with creola bodies and Charcot-Leyden crystals. They are elongated microscopic mucous casts from small bronchi and are often found in sputum samples from patients with bronchial asthma. They can be stretched out to a length of around 2 cm and can sometimes be longer. They have a central core that may be ensheathed in cell debris and mucus.^[3]

Curschmann's spiral