Munchausen syndrome presenting as gross hematuria in two women

Ben H Chew1, Kenneth T Pace, R John D'A Honey

  • 1Division of Urology, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Urology
|April 3, 2002
PubMed

Munchausen syndrome is an uncommon disorder in which patients present with fictitious disorders and a self-destructive urge to undergo invasive procedures. We present 2 cases of nurses who presented with recurrent urinary tract infections, flank pain, and gross hematuria. One patient had such severe hematuria as to require transfusions of more than 1000 U of packed red cells during a 30-year period. Both patients underwent extensive investigations--all of which were normal. One patient even underwent nephrectomy, which showed normal pathologic findings. Both were found to be phlebotomizing themselves and infusing blood into their bladders.

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