Objective:To investigate the influence of admission to intensive care unit (ICU ) on the postoperative complications in patients with esophageal carcinoma .Methods :A total of 391 patients with esophageal carcinoma confirmed by surgery in Department of Thoracic Surgery ,Zhongshan Hospital ,Fudan University ,from Jan 2009 to Dec 2009 ,were chosen .All the patients had clinical data and postoperative follow‐up data in detail . Patients were divided into postoperative ICU group (treatment group) and postoperative general ward group(control group) .The control group was further classified into control group A(without unplanned ICU admission) and control group B(with unplanned ICU admission) based on whether unplanned admission to ICU was conducted .The occurrence rates of postoperative complications were compared among the three groups . Logistic regression was performed in multivariate analysis of postoperative complications .Results:On Day 1 after surgery ,the APACHE Ⅱ score was higher in treatment group than in control group I(P<0 .05) .However ,there was no increase on rate of postoperative complications in treatment group .The APACHE Ⅱ score ,as well as the occurrence rate of postoperative complications ,was lower in control group A than those in control group B (P<0 .01) .The APACHE Ⅱ score in treatment group was higher than that in control group B (P< 0 .05) .However ,the occurrence rate of postoperative complications in treatment group was lower than that in control group B (P<0 .01) .On Day 1 after surgery ,the higher the postoperative acute physiology and chronic health evaluation(APACHE)Ⅱ score was ,the higher the occurrence rate of postoperative complications was(HR= 0 .631 ,95% CI:0 .405~ 0 .983 ,P< 0 .05) .Postoperative planned ICU admission could diminish postoperative complications ,and it was the independent factor(HR= 1 .588 ,95% CI:1 .147‐2 .199 ,P< 0 .01).Conclusions :If prompt admission to ICU for comprehensive treatment was conducted after esophageal cancer operation , the occurrence rate of complications could be reduced in esophageal cancer patients .