A case of Capgras delusion following critical illness

Hallucinations and paranoid delusions are recognised complications of critical illness. However, the occurrence of Capgras syndrome, in response to critical illness, where patients are convinced that doubles have replaced close family has not been described in the literature. There have been isolated case histories in the literature in response to medical procedures or illness but mostly in patients suffering from schizophrenia. A 42 year old woman was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with pneumonia, following extensive surgery for a squamous cell carcinoma, secondary to Crohns disease. She had no history of previous head injury, cerebro-vascular problems or psychiatric disorder. She reported having memories of all her family, with the exception of her mother, being replaced by aliens while she was on the ICU. The delusion was only diagnosed once it had resolved and the patient was able to talk, and this highlights the difficulty of diagnosing delusions while patients are still intubated and unable to verbalise their concerns. It has been suggested that a defect in the ability to recognise the emotional significance of the face lies at the root of Capgras syndrome.