OBJECTIVE: To describe two cases of acute respiratory blockage for edema of Reinke. Story of the cases: Case 1 - Feminine patient, 80 years, smokes, without previous otolaryngologic evaluation, with dysphonia of long date, initiated with respiratory difficulty and stridor in February of 2012. She looked for the Service of Emergency of the Santa Casa of Porto Alegre. Case 2 - Feminine patient, 49 years, smoke, in accompaniment in the clinic of the Service of Otolaryngologist of the Santa Casa of Porto Alegre for edema of Reinke, with surgery programmed for March 2012. In February of 2012 she presented episode of acute respiratory dysfunction with stridor. She looked for the Service of Emergency of the Institution. Both the patients had been submitted the clinical evaluation and radiological examinations in the emergency. Requested consulting of the otolaryngology team; carried through rigid telelaringoscopy with evidence of edema of vocal folds with partial blockage of the glottic light. Initiate sistemic corticotherapy, with minimum reply after 48h. Both had been submitted to the surgery through laryngoscopy of suspension with microscopy, without occurrences. They had evolved with total resolution of the respiratory complaints and good control of the dysphonia. CONCLUSION: Edema of Reinke is characterized for chronic inflammatory process in the superficial layer of the proper blade of the vocal folds. Related to the tobaccos, is presented with picture of slowly gradual dysphonia. Some rare cases can evolve with dyspnea. The spite of being a little common presentation, edema of Reinke must be considered in the distinguishing diagnosis of smokers patients with obstructive respiratory picture, especially in those with associated previous dysphonia.