Amnesia after femorocerebral angiography.

The charts and radiographs of 12 of 1,520 patients who developed amnesia after transfemoral cerebral angiography performed with local anesthesia and minimal sedation were retrospectively reviewed. In three younger patients, exacerbation of organic or idiopathic temporal lobe epilepsy was thought to be the cause of the amnesia, while the amnesia of the nine patients over 40 years old had the characteristics of transient global amnesia. Eight of the patients had had similar episodes before angiography, and three others had other evidence of vertebrobasilar disease. Emboli from atheromatous debris or catheter clot due either to catheter manipulation problems, an inexperienced operator, or the use of a large catheter were considered likely causes in 11 cases, while in three patients contrast emboli or toxicity may have been the etiologic factor.