Balloon dilatations are the method of choice in children with laryngeal stricture. They are perfor- med under general anaesthesia via the tracheostoma. A dilatation is considered successful if the tracheostomic cannula is removed. After decannulation, however, a relapse of respiratory compla- ints occurs with imminent new tracheostomy. In those instances dilatation without an inserted tracheostomic cannula would be an advantage. The authors tried in a patient with laryngeal stricture beneath the vocal cords, after a severe inflammation of the larynx, to dilate the narrow site by filling the balloon of the endotracheal cannula. The balloon of the cannula is, however short and narrow and does not make adequate widening of the stricture possible. In a female patient after an injury of the larynx with stenosis of the intermembraneous rima after removal of the tracheostomic cannula dilatation of the larynx was performed by a balloon catheter in the apnoic interval. In both patients it was not necessary to insert the tracheostomic cannula. Balloon dilatation of the larynx can be performed also in the absence of a tracheostomic cannula. Dilatation by the usual balloon catheter in the apnoic interval is more promising than dilatation by the balloon of an endotracheal cannula.

        Key words: laryngeal stricture - balloon dilatation - tracheostomy - apnoic interval