Impotence is one of the most common complications of spinal cord injury but its assessments were not satisfactory yet. In order to evaluate penile erection pattern exactly and to use the results as the basic contents of sexual counselling in spinal cord injured patients, we conducted four erection studies to 16 spinal cord injured patients. We excluded the patients who have psychologic, vascular, and endocrinologic diseases and local perineal injury.

Tectile-stimulated and vibratory-induced erection were measured to assess local penile response and nocturnal penile erection, audiovisually-stimulated erection were measured by Rigiscan to assess autonomic function.

We concluded as follows;

1) Vibratory-induced erection was the most effective method for penile erection especially in patients with upper motor neuron lesion.

2) Normal rigigram findings of nocturnal penile erection were observed in patients with incomplete upper motor neuron lesion.

3) VIbratory-induced and audiovisually-stimulated erection were not effective in almost all patients.