Abstract: Background and purpose: The traditional 3 incision surgery is an important means of esophageal cancer treatment, however, accompanied by more postoperative complications and higher mortality. Minimally invasive esophagectomy is a prospective technology with advantages, such as little trauma and quick recovery. This study retrospectively analyzed the perioperative effect of the esophagus cancer patients who accepted thoracoscopiclaparoscopic esophagectomy (TLE), open-laparoscopic esophagectomy (OLE) and open esophagectomy (OE) from Jan. 2013 to Jan. 2015. Methods: In this study, 72 patients received TLE, 76 patients received OLE and 115 patients received OE, respectively. One-way ANOVA, Kruskal Wallis test and Chi-square test were used to compare the differences of general clinical data, perioperative recover index, the number of lymphadenectomy and the postoperative complication among TLE, OLE and OE. Results: There were differences in the area of operative blood loss, duration of ICU stay and first standing time among the 3 groups. Pairwise comparison demonstrated that TLE group was significantly better than OE group (P<0.012 5). The total number of lymphadenectomy among the 3 groups had no differences. However, the number of lymph node of the upper esophagus in the TLE groups was more than those in OLE group and OE group (P<0.001). The laryngeal recurrent nerve injury incidence in TLE group was significantly higher than those in OLE group and OE group (P=0.012, 0.003). The total surgical complication had no differences among 3 groups. In areas of the cardiorespiratory system severe complication, 3 groups had statistical differences. Pairwise comparison showed TLE group was significantly less than OLE and OE group (P<0.0125). The first day and third day incidences of SIRS rate in TLE group were less than those in OLE group and OE group (P<0.0125). Conclusion: Comparing to OE group, with the same safety and feasibility, TLE had more advantages such as trauma, quick recovery, less complications. With the same effect of total lymphadenectomy to OE, TLE had the more advantage in upper mediastinal and recurrent laryngeal nerve lymph node cleaning.

Key words: Esophageal cancer, Surgical treatment, Thoracoscope, Laparoscopy