title: [Munchhausen patients in general hospitals--Clinical features and treatment approaches in C-L psychiatry settings].
abstract: Factitious disorders have been reported in 0.5 - 1 % of general hospital patients. It often takes several years until the disorder is detected. During this period, enormous health care cost can arise not least out of iatrogenic self-induced mutilations and related secondary somatic complications. Apart from surgeons and physicians, consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatrists are particularly called on to diagnose factitious disorders at an early stage in order to avoid unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, treatment dropout and doctor shopping. This article gives an overview of clinical features and treatment approaches in C-L psychiatry settings.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatrische Klinik und Poliklinik der LMU München, Germany. rothenh@psy.med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Hans-Bernd
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Rothenhäusler
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Kapfhammer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009110:Munchausen Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010343:Patient Admission; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures