Transient global amnesia caused by hippocampal infarct: case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND

Transient global amnesia is a fairly common occurrence in patients arriving to the emergency department. In most cases, transient global amnesia is benign, and the etiology remains unknown; however, it is important to exclude the rare but serious causes ensuring proper treatment and prevention of serious complication.

CASE REPORT: We present a rare case in which a patient arrived with amnesia, and after full evaluation; a subtle ischemic region in the hippocampus was identified, allowing the patient to be treated. In most cases of transient global amnesia, the cause is seldom identified.

CONCLUSIONS

We review the diagnostic criteria, risk factors, and imaging considerations associated.