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Daniel Jacome, MD
University of Minnesota Hospitals Minneapolis

JAMA. 1978;240(22):2432.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

"Phantoms" are indeed a puzzling and poorly understood phenomenon. In amputees the phantom limb occupies a definite position in space, is capable of movement, and has, in a great majority, a pleasant "tingling" feeling.¹ In paraplegics, proprioceptive and nociceptive sensations and awareness of the extremities are recognized.² Phantom experiences are also described after eye enucleation ("phantom vision"),³ after visceral surgery,⁴ and after brachial plexus, epidural, or subarachnoid anesthesia.⁵

I had the opportunity recently of taking care of a patient with a curious phantom experience. A 69-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of tarry stools. He gave a history of "syncopal attacks" for which he was receiving warfarin sodium (Coumadin) at a dose of 12.5 mg/day. His gastrointestinal series showed a large duodenal diverticulum, and his prothrombin time was 120 seconds. His anamnesis disclosed that he had a diagnosis of Buerger's . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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