Objective To analyze and compare the curative effect of thoracic laparoscopy combined with resection of esophageal carcinoma and conventional three incision resection of esophageal carcinoma .Methods From January 2012 to January 2016,sixty-two patients received esophageal cancer resection in Shanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital were selected in the research.The patients were divided into laparoscopic group (28 cases) and traditional group(34 cases) according to surgical methods ,and they were treaded with thoracic laparoscopy combined with resection of esophageal carcinoma and three incision resection of esophageal carcinoma ,respectively.The amount of blood loss , the number of lymph node dissection ,the postoperative 1d flow,the ventilator use of 24h and the number of tracheotomy were recorded.The time of hospitalization,the time of closed drainage and the incidence of postoperative complications were recorded and compared between the two groups at discharge time.Results The operative time,amount of blood loss,drainage volume,drainage time and hospitalization time of the laparoscopic group were (3.22 ±0.64)h,(218.20 ± 45.42)mL,(235.67 ±42.15)mL,(3.32 ±1.81)d,(14.28 ±2.53)d,respectively,which were significantly lower than those of the traditional group [(4.52 ±1.11)h,(407.42 ±50.06)mL,(321.71 ±37.82)mL,(5.16 ±1.78)d, (17.35 ±4.38)d,t＝5.764,15.438,8.465,4.020,3.448,all P＜0.05].The incidence rates of pulmonary infection and atelectasis in the laparoscopic group were 3.57% and 0.00%,respectively,which were significantly lower than those in the traditional group (23.53% and 17.65%,χ2＝4.929,5.471,all P＜0.05).The ventilator -assisted breathing rate and postoperative tracheotomy rate of the laparoscopic group were both 0.00%,which were significantly lower than those of the traditional group (23.53%and 14.71%,χ2＝7.564,4.479,all P＜0.05).Conclusion It is safe and reliable to complete lymph node dissection and surgical treatment of thoracic laparoscopy combined with resection of esophageal carcinoma,and compared with conventional three incision resection of esophageal carcinoma it has the advantages of small trauma,low incidence rate of complication and fast recovery,which is worthy of further promotion.