Syndrome of Munchausen and pseudoparaplegia: case report

We present a 36 years old female, with a 8 years history of "paraplegia", who was admitted to our department to have "some needles withdrown" from her back. She refered previous admittances to general and psychiatric hospitals in order to treat several episodes of renal failure, combined with other clinical conditions like pulmonary tuberculosis and esophagus, ovary and breast cancer. On the psychiatric evaluation, we found a patient who seemed to be indifferent to her disease, giving accurate and very elaborated description of her symptoms. She was always complaining about previous medical therapies She moved her both legs simultaneously, without any impairment on reflexes and sensibility. We did not find evidence of tumor processes. The electromyography, cranial CT scan, abdominal ultrasound scan and chest X-ray were normal. Lumbosacral X-ray and CT scan showed 16 sewing needles widespread in the lumbosacral soft tissues. A diagnosis of Munchausen syndrome was firmed. After a 15-day trial of anti depressive drug, physiotherapy and psychotherapy, her clinical status significantly improved, reverting its neurological picture after treatment.

Munchausen syndrome; pseudoparaplegia