RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Munchausen syndrome presenting as major trauma.
JF Journal of Accident & Emergency Medicine
JO Arch Emerg Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and the British Association for Accident & Emergency Medicine
SP 137
OP 138
DO 10.1136/emj.13.2.137
VO 13
IS 2
A1 S J Meek
A1 J Kendall
A1 P Cornelius
A1 P A Younge
YR 1996
UL http://emj.bmj.com/content/13/2/137.abstract
AB The case is described of a man who feigned being struck by a vehicle, leading to an unnecessary major trauma response by the ambulance service and hospital. Suspicion that the patient suffered from Munchausen syndrome was confirmed by later investigation. Accident and emergency staff should file details of such patients on the department computer records system, where available, so that staff are alerted automatically to their presence, and share this information with neighbouring hospitals. All such patients should be treated according to ATLS guidelines until injury is ruled out, as for any other patient.