[A case of retrograde amnesia of 22 years, continued for 4 days following a general anesthesia accompanied by a permanent amnesia of these 4 days after the complete recovery from the retrograde amnesia].

A case of global amnesia which continued for 4 days following a general anesthesia and recovered without any neurological deficits was reported. The patient was a 38-year-old woman suspected of lung cancer, and scheduled for pulmonary lobectomy. She had a history of appendectomy under spinal anesthesia 22 years before. She was premedicated with diazepam (10mg), atropine (0.5mg) and pentazocine (30mg). Anesthesia was induced with thiamylal (500mg) and succinylcholine (140mg) iv and 100% oxygen. Anesthesia was maintained with enflurane and nitrous oxide with oxygen for 3 hours. After her recovery from anesthesia, a retrograde amnesia of 22 years was observed and continued for 4 days. Then the memory was restored completely, but the amnesia during these 4 postoperative days remained permanently. We have documented the case of amnesia in the immediate postoperative period which is similar to transient global amnesia. It seems likely that this amnesia was caused by drug interaction, hypoxia, decreased cerebral perfusion or psychogenic effects of general anesthesia.