Chronic Factitious Disorder with Physical Symptoms: Munchausen Syndrome

Chronic factitious disorder with physical symptoms is an appropriate diagnosis in patients who consciously distort their medical history and produce misleading physical finding and laboratory results through self-inflicted lesions. By simulating patterns of physical diseases, these patients may subject themselves to painful and dangerous diagnostic and treatment procedures. Munchausen syndrome represents a special pattern within the group of chronic factitious disorder with physical symptoms.

The typical patient presents at a hospital as an acute emergency and usually has a lurid yet plausible medical and social history, which is laterfound to be entirely false and fabricated. After several fruitless investications with or without surgical operations, a diagnosis cannot be made and the patient eventually discharges himself and goes to another hospital where the process is repeated. It is importent to diagnose these patients early to avoid unnecessary medical and surgical interventions and to introduce psychiatric treatment.

A typical case of Munchausen syndrome is reported with a brief review of literatures. This is believed to be the first reported case of Munchausen syndrome in Koera.