Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 4/30/2008

Question
My husband is an end stage renal patient.On Fri 5/18 he was well enough to drive himself to and from Dyalisis.He was complaing of Hip Pain By Sunday he was admitted to a local hospital the diagnosis was mrsa. They determined he had an absess on his hip. He underwent surgery to drain the absess on Monday. Issue is he was under General anesthesia. Since then he does not know who we are where he is even what year it is its like he went for normal to full blown Alzheimers in a day.The doctors are baffled have no clue they have ruled out a stroke or any other Neuro causes. I need to know if its possible to have this kind of reaction. I am desperate for answers Please help us if you can

Answer
It is not the anesthesia per se. Certainly anesthesia can make you foggy and confused for a day or so but it is more likely related to the abscess. If he has a systemic infection or is septic, that can lead to the symptoms you describe. I would imagine that this will get better over the next few days. Obviously your doctors are on top of it and the fact that it is not a stroke is a good thing.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston