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Transient global amnesia after general anesthesia.

Bortolon RJ, Weglinski MR, Sprung J

Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mary Brigh 2-752, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.

Transient global amnesia (TGA) is an amnestic syndrome, clinically dramatic but benign in nature. The hallmark of TGA is brief inability to form new memories and recall past memories despite otherwise normal neurological function. In a significant number of patients with TGA a stressful precipitating factor can be identified. We report two cases of TGA after uneventful general anesthesia. Anesthesia per se does not appear to be a direct trigger of TGA, as our first patient had a second anesthetic the next day without recurrence of TGA. Because the presentation of TGA can be dramatic and may mimic an acute cerebral ischemic event, a thorough neurologic evaluation should be pursued.

Published 23 August 2005 in Anesth Analg, 101(3): 916-9, table of contents.
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