Temporary Memory Steal: Transient Global Amnesia Secondary to Nephrolithiasis

Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med. 2018 Sep 28;2(4):334-337. doi: 10.5811/cpcem.2018.9.39338. eCollection 2018 Nov.

Abstract

Transient global amnesia (TGA) is typified by an abrupt and transient anterograde amnesia, "with repetitive questioning and often variable retrograde amnesia persisting up to 24 hours." A 54-year-old male presented to our emergency department with paroxysms of left-sided flank pain, suggestive of renal colic. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen/pelvis revealed a three-millimeter left ureterovesicular-junction calculus. Pain control proved difficult, necessitating multiple doses of opioid and non-opioid analgesia. Subsequently, the patient developed repetitive questioning and perseveration with anterograde amnesia with a negative CT brain and unremarkable further workup. He experienced a complete resolution of symptoms within a 24-hour period, with a discharge diagnosis of TGA secondary to nephrolithiasis. This is the third case of TGA attributed to nephrolithiasis in the medical literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports