Selective posterior cerebral artery Amytal test for evaluating memory function before surgery for temporal lobe seizure.

Selective testing for memory function with Amytal (amobarbital) in the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) is a promising modification of that test in the internal carotid artery (ICA). This new technique, performed with a Tracker catheter system, was completed successfully in 17 of 20 patients being examined before planned surgery for refractory temporal lobe seizure. The PCA test overcomes three major problems with the ICA technique. First, with the PCA technique, memory testing is begun immediately after injection, when the drug has its peak effect. Second, when the speech-dominant hemisphere is being tested with the PCA test, patients do not become aphasic. Third, injection into the PCA delivers the drug more effectively to the target, the ipsilateral hippocampal formation.