Factitious or self-induced illness can occur as a diagnostic dilemma. We present a case of a patient who injected saliva into the parotid region with a resultant clinical picture consistent with a parotid tumor. A high degree of medical sophistication and a complex underlying psychopathologic behavior in these patients make the diagnosis and treatment difficult. Psychiatric consultation is an integral part of their management.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AduanRPFauciASDaleDC: Factitious fever and self-induced infection: A report of 32 cases and review of the literature. Ann Intern Med90: 230–242, 1979.
2.
MacNealWJ: Hyperthermia, genuine and operious. Arch Intern Med64: 800–809, 1939.
3.
HaleVEvseichickO: Fraudulent fever. Am J Nurs43: 992–994, 1943.
4.
ShepardGHSawyersJC: Management of infections from self-inoculation with lighter fluid and other foreign agents. Ann Surg170: 292–295, 1969.
5.
SteinmanRMedelsonJPortnoyJ: Self-inoculation with milk as a cause of recurrent cellulitis. Can Med Assoc J112: 605–606, 1975.
JacobyGASwartzMN: Fever of undetermined origin. N Engl J Med289: 1407–1410, 1913.
8.
McClungJ: Prolonged fever of unknown origin in children. Am J Dis Child124: 544–550, 1972.
9.
CramerBGershbergMRSteinM: Munchausen syndrome: Its relationship to malingering, hysteria and the physician-patient relationship. Arch Gen Psychiatry24: 573–578, 1971.
