Elsberg syndrome (ES) is a rare syndrome characterized by acute or subacute lumbosacral radiculitis and myelitis confined to the lower spinal cord, following an acute or reactivation viral infection. Reported complaints are urinary retention, bowel incontinence, radicular pain and muscle weakness. It is associated with Herpes simplex type 2 infections or reactivation from dorsal root ganglia, there are also cases reported with acute west Nile virus, varicella zoster virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Clinicians do not generally consider this syndrome in the differential diagnosis of acute cauda equina syndrome, and therefore, appropriate diagnostic approaches are missed. Sarcoidosis, lymphoma, vasculitis, other sources of infection and dural arteriovenous fistula are also included in the differential diagnosis.

In order to draw attention to ES, which is a post viral inflammatory condition, two cases presenting acute cauda equina syndrome findings and diagnosed with ES will be presented.