[Behçet's disease and factitious manic-depressive psychosis: a case of Münchausen syndrome].
BACKGROUND
Munchausen syndrome is frequently observed in men unlike other factitious conditions. The patient presents a characteristic triad: apparently acute but factitious disorders, migration from hospital to hospital resulting in unnecessary explorations and treatments, and fabulated medical history.


METHODS
A 57-year-old man was hospitalized in the psychiatric unit for alleged insomnia, psychomotor excitation and multiple hallucinatory phenomena. The factitious nature of the patientís condition was rapidly suspected in light of the large number of previous unconfirmed medical conditions and a rather unbelievable history.


CONCLUSIONS
Unlike the classical description of Munchausen's syndrome, this patient had no history of surgery. This unusual aspect should not exclude the clinical diagnosis as for some patients, the invasive nature of certain explorations may be a valid substitute for surgery.
Limosin
F
F
Service du Professeur Adès, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Louis Mourier, Colombes. limosinf@worldnet.fr
Adès
J
J
D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006212:Hallucinations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009110:Munchausen Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders