Expanded profile of the SHAFT syndrome.
The SHAFT syndrome is a factitious disorder in which a patient manipulates the surgeon to perform operations to fulfill his or her psychological needs. The acronym describes patients who are sad, hostile, anxious, frustrating, and tenacious. A chart review from January 1990 to June 1996 was undertaken to provide a profile to aid in the recognition and diagnosis of the SHAFT syndrome. An analysis of 28 patients revealed characteristics supporting a definitive SHAFT profile. Patients with SHAFT syndrome seek physicians to perform invasive procedures. Their typical complaint is pain, usually without objective physical findings that would support a more definitive diagnosis. Such patients tend to be women, cry with pain, describe symptoms out of proportion to objective findings, and have a history of psychiatric care.
Kasdan
M L
ML
Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Louisville, KY, USA.
Soergel
T M
TM
Johnson
A L
AL
Lewis
K
K
White
W L
WL
D000328:Adult; D005162:Factitious Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000523:psychology