Objective In order to improve the surgical treatment for midpiece esophageal carcinoma, different surgical ways were com-pared. Methods From January 2010 to June 2012, 110 patients with midpiece esophageal cancer in our hospital were divided into the Ivor-Lewis group (55 cases) and the Sweet group (55 cases) according to different surgical ways, that is to say Ivor-Lewis surgery via right chest and Sweet surgery through left chest. Length of specimens, rang of tumor invasion, distance of removal, incidence of residual carcinoma in the esophageal edges, number of lymph nodes removed in chest and abdomen, and positive rate of carcinoma infiltrated lymph nodes were compared between the two groups. Questions of surgical anatomy were investigated through questionnaire among surgeons of the two groups, and the scores of both groups were analysed. Results The length of resected specimens and number of lymph nodes removed in Ivor-Lewis group was significantly lager than that of the Sweet group (P<0. 01). The positive rate of carcinoma infiltrated lymph nodes in Ivor-Lewis group was 1. 82%, which was significantly lower than 21. 82% in the Sweet group (P<0. 01). Results of questionnaire showed surgeons have gieven higher scores to Ivor-Lewis group. Conclusion Ivor-Lewis surgery is recommend for upper and midpiece esophageal carcinoma while Sweet surgery is more suitable for cardial and lower esophageal cancer.