AIM:To investigate the use of Savary-Gilliard marked dilators in tight esophageal strictures without fluoros-copy. METHODS:Seventy-two patients with signif icant dysphagia from benign strictures due to a variety of causes were dilated endoscopically. Patients with achalasia, malignant lesions or external compression were excluded. The procedure consisted of two parts. First, a guide wire was placed through video endoscopy and then dilatation was performed without fluoroscopy. In general, “the rule of three” was followed. Effective treatment was defi ned as the ability of patients, with or without repeated dilatations, to maintain a solid or semisolid diet for more than12mo. RESULTS: Six hundred and sixty two dilatations in a total of72patients were carried out. The success rate for placement of a guide wire was100%and for dilatation97%,without use of fluoroscopy, after6mo to4years of follow-up.The number of sessions per patient was between1and7,with an average of2sessions.The ability of patients, after 1 or more sessions of dilatation, to maintain a solid or semisolid diet for more than 12mo was obtained in70patients(95.8%).For very tight esophageal strictures, all patients improved clinically without complications after the endoscopic procedure without fluoroscopy, but we noted3failures. CONCLUSION:Dilatation using Savary-Gilliard dilators without fluoroscopy is safe and effective in the treatment of very tight esophageal strictures if performed with care. AIM: To investigate the use of Savary-Gilliard marked dilators in tight esophageal strictures without fluoros-copy. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with signif icant dysphagia from benign strictures due to a variety of causes were dilated endoscopically. Patients with achalasia, malignant lesions or external compression were excluded. The procedure consisted of two parts. First, a guide wire was placed through video endoscopy and then dilatation was performed without fluoroscopy. as the ability of patients, with or without repeated dilatations, to maintain a solid or semisolid diet for more than 12 months. RESULTS: Six hundred and sixty two dilatations in a total of 72 patients were carried out. The success rate for placement of a guide wire was 100% and for dilatation97%, without use of fluoroscopy, after6mo to4years of follow-up.The number of sessions per patient was between1and7, with an average of2sessions. ability of patients, after 1 or more sessions of dilatation, to maintain a solid or semisolid diet for more than 12 months was obtained in 70 patients (95.8%). For very tight esophageal strictures, all patients improved clinically without complications after the endoscopic procedure without fluoroscopy, but We noted3failures. CONCLUSION: Dilatation using Savary-Gilliard dilators without fluoroscopy is safe and effective in the treatment of very tight esophageal strictures if performed with care.