Transient Global Amnesia as a Rare Consequence of Diagnostic Cerebral Angiography at an Ambulatory Neurosurgery Center: A Case Report.

Abstract

Although invasive, digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is considered a relatively safe procedure and remains the gold standard for cerebrovascular imaging. Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a self-limited episode of sudden-onset anterograde amnesia that resolves spontaneously within 24 hours. We report a rare occurrence of TGA after diagnostic DSA. A 62-year-old man presented for an angiogram performed under conscious sedation for the diagnosis of a suspected cavernous internal carotid artery aneurysm. Although the DSA revealed normal anatomy, the patient experienced self-resolving memory impairment immediately after the procedure. To date, only a few such cases have been reported, and this is the first documented instance that occurred at an ambulatory neurosurgery center. This case highlights that rare phenomena, such as transient global amnesia, can occur after cerebral angiography, even with brief radiation exposure and a short procedure duration. Recognizing such events is particularly important as neurosurgical care continues to transition from hospitals to outpatient centers, serving as a key safeguard against the shorter observation periods at these ambulatory facilities.