Aleem Flashcards
(35 cards)
What is the aim of the case study presented by Aleem and Ajarim (1995)?
To present a case study of Munchausen syndrome in a patient referred for a possible case of immune deficiency.
Munchausen syndrome is a psychological disorder where individuals feign illness for attention.
What was the age and background of the patient in the Aleem and Ajarim (1995) case study?
A 22-year-old female university student.
The patient was referred to the hospital for a possible case of immune deficiency.
What condition was the patient in the case study suspected of having?
Possible case of immune deficiency or neutrophil disorder.
Neutrophil disorder involves lower than normal white blood cell counts, which can result from infections or cancer.
What was the family background of the patient in the case study?
Her father was a teacher and supportive, she had six sisters, and her mother had breast cancer.
None of her family worked in medical-related jobs.
True or False: The patient in the case study was the youngest child in her family.
False
She was the third child among six sisters.
Fill in the blank: The patient was described as _______.
intelligent.
This characterization may be relevant to understanding her behavior and motivations.
What symptoms did the woman present at age 17?
Issues relating to her menstrual cycle
What condition did she develop that involves blood clots in veins?
Deep vein thrombosis
At what age was she admitted to the hospital with a painful swelling on her breast?
22
What previous surgical procedure had she undergone over 20 times?
Surgical drainage
What did doctors find upon examination of the woman?
Multiple scars over her abdominal wall
What complaints did she present at the hospitals?
Painful swelling in her groin and weakness in her legs
What did CT scans and ultrasound diagnose?
Hematoma
What procedure did she undergo after being diagnosed with a hematoma?
Surgery
What type of infection required further surgical drainage?
Abscess
What are cultures in a medical context?
Samples taken from an abscess or wound tested for bacteria or viruses
What was found in the cultures taken from her abscess?
A variety of bacteria
What happened after approximately four days in the hospital?
Developed a similar abscess on her other breast
What did the physicians suspect about the woman’s condition?
Factitious disorder
What type of consultation was organized without alerting the woman?
Psychiatric consultation
How did the psychiatrist describe the woman during the consultation?
Extremely defensive and rationalized responses
What emotional state did the psychiatrist observe in the woman?
Superficial emotion but under a great deal of stress
What diagnosis was made for the woman?
Munchausen syndrome
What did the nurse find in the patient’s bed?
A syringe full of faecal matter
This finding is indicative of possible Munchausen syndrome.
