Orthopaedic variant of Munchausen's Syndrome: shoulder instability
2001; Elsevier BV; Volume: 32; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/s0020-1383(00)00127-3
ISSN1879-0267
Autores Tópico(s)Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
ResumoIn 1951 the physician Richard Asher described a syndrome in which patients travelled widely and told tall tales, feigning illness in order to obtain hospital admission, treatment with opiates or general anaesthetics or surgical operation. They differed from simple malingerers because their motivation for such behaviour remained obscure [ [1] Asher Richard Talking sense. in: Munchausen's Syndrome, [chapter 16]. Pitman Medical, London1972: 170-179 Google Scholar ]. Asher named the condition Munchausen's Syndrome, in honour of Baron von Munchausen, a much travelled adventurer of legend who told enormously implausible tales [ [2] Raspe, R.E. et al., Singular Travels, Campaigns and Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 1785, Cresset Press, London. Google Scholar ]. Since Dr Asher was something of an anti-establishment figure, he was particularly inspired by von Munchausen's tale of raising the College of Physicians of London into the air by balloon for 3 months (during which time the health of its patients was never better). The syndrome is therefore unique in being derived in part from a private joke 1 We have to remember that this was the era of the hot-air balloon. . Nevertheless, it has spread, through English language medical literature, to being a substantive diagnosis in Europe, North America, Australasia and the Middle East. Only in the USA is the alternative label of pathological lying or pseudologico fantistico [ [3] Ballas S.K. Factitious sickle cell acute painful episodes: a secondary type of Munchausens syndrome (review). Am. J. Haematol. 1996 December; 53: 254-258 Crossref PubMed Scopus (12) Google Scholar ] still occasionally used.
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