Wernicke encephalopathy (WE), a neurological emergency commonly associated with
alcohol use disorder, results from a severe deficiency of
vitamin B1. If left untreated, patients either succumb to the illness or develop chronic Korsakoff's syndrome (KS). Recently, an increasing number of nonalcoholic WE case studies have been published, highlighting a lack of understanding of
malnutrition-related disorders among high-functioning patients. We present the case of a 26 year old female who developed life-threatening WE after COVID-19-complicated
obesity surgery. She experienced the full triad of WE symptoms, including
eye-movement disorders,
delirium, and
ataxia, and suffered for over 70 days before receiving her initial WE diagnosis. Late treatment resulted in progression of WE symptoms. Despite the severity, the patient achieved remission of some of the symptoms in the post-acute phase due to prolonged parenteral
thiamine injections and intensive specialized rehabilitation designed for young
traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. The rehabilitation resulted in gradual remission of
amnesia symptomatology, mainly increasing her autonomy. The late recognition of this case highlights the importance of early diagnosis and prompt, targeted intervention in the management of nonalcoholic WE, as well as underscores the potential for positive outcomes after
delayed treatment through intensive
cognitive rehabilitation in specialized treatment centers.