The authors report on the results of sternochondroplasty according to Ravitch in a group of 31 patients with funnellike or carinated chest. The results appear to be conditioned to the type of anomaly, to the kind of surgery performed, to the age at which the patients undergo surgery. From a functional viewpoint results appear to be markedly better in pectus carinatum as compared to those in pectus excavatum. The latter anomaly requires a prolonged traction of the anterior thoracic "volet": this excludes any possibility of using external traction techniques (poor results in 25-30% of cases). The high percentage of fair results with reference to marring scars or partial excavations of the thoracic wall has lead us to operate (with reference to some ages: less than 5 years old; 9-14 years old) on these patients after they have reached age 15. The authors hope that a larger number of patients will be treated conservatively (in cases of carinated chest) or else that they undergo minor plastic surgery (in funnel chest cases).