A systematic review of factitious decompression sickness
Christopher Kenedi1, Christopher Sames, Rhonda Paice
1Department of General Medicine, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand. bluedevilkiwi-factitious@yahoo.com
Summary
Factitious decompression sickness (DCS) is likely underdiagnosed in hyperbaric medicine. This condition, where patients feign DCS for attention, incurs significant costs and risks misallocation of resources.
Area of Science:
- Hyperbaric Medicine
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Factitious disorder involves intentionally feigning illness for attention.
- Studies suggest 0.6%–9.3% of hospital admissions may be factitious.
Observation:
- A case of factitious decompression sickness (DCS) treated at a New Zealand hyperbaric facility is presented.
- Factitious DCS is suspected to occur more frequently than hyperbaric clinicians realize.
- Diagnosis of DCS relies on subjective symptoms, creating opportunities for factitious patients.
Findings:
- A systematic literature review identified eight additional cases of factitious DCS.
- Factitious DCS leads to unnecessary hyperbaric therapy, incurring costs and diverting resources.
Implications:
- Hyperbaric medicine specialists require enhanced awareness for recognizing and managing factitious DCS.
- Developing strategies to identify factitious disorder is crucial for patient care and resource management.
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