Intermittent parasympathetic symptoms in lumbar spinal stenosis.

Symptoms related to autonomic nervous dysfunction are uncommon in spinal stenosis. Involvement of nerve roots S2-S5 has previously been reported only in a few cases. Of great interest is the occurrence of phenomena such as intermittent penile erections and fecal incontinence on walking in patients with compromise of the lower lumbar spinal canal. We report on two patients, one of whom presented because of fecal incontinence and the other with penile erections on walking. In both cases, these manifestations resolved after decompressive laminectomy. These patients are compared to six other patients, with parasympathetic disturbances due to lumbar spinal stenosis, described previously.