[Non-alcoholic Wernicke's encephalopathy as a cause of death in 3 surgical patients]

3 cases of Wernicke's encephalopathy are reported with consecutive death in surgery patients. A long period of vomiting caused by tumors or inflammation in the upper intestinal tract, preceded. This probably causes a deficiency of thiamin. The deficiency was reinforced by high calorie parenteral nourishment. Caused by non-reversible shock and severe destruction of metabolism, only a period of 1-2 days lays between first neurological symptoms and death. in similar cases a sufficient supply of thiamine should be considered.