Prolonged confusion due to absence status following metrizamide myelography

A case of absence status epilepticus resulted from metrizamide myelography. The acute confusional state following metrizamide myelography is briefly reviewed and compared with the confusional state resulting from adult-onset absence status. The similarities suggest that absence status may in fact be a relatively common cause of prolonged confusion following the use of metrizamide. Given the difficulty in clinical diagnosis and the excellent response to anticonvulsants, the possibility of absence status should be specifically excluded by EEG in any person suffering prolonged confusion following metrizamide myelography.