[Factitious disorder--an iatrogenic disease?].
The case of a woman aged 31 years with numerous contacts with the health care system is reported. The patient presented an extremely varied pattern of complaints with pain as one of the most frequently recurring reasons for admission. During the past 12 to 13 years, the patient was admitted to inpatient units on numerous occasions and was submitted to numerous examinations, most of which revealed normal findings. This article lists a number of possible background causes which might permit a career like this to develop. Measures for prevention of similar "case-stories" in future are discussed.