Abstract:Objective To explore the status of lymph node dissection under thoracoscopic surgery and open surgery in patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma. Methods 16 cases of thoracic esophageal cancer received thoracoscopic surgery from August 2012 to June 2015 as minimally invasive group (group M), 17 cases of thoracic esophageal cancer with the same pathological staging received traditional open surgery during the same period as control group (group C), the number of lymph nodes and the positive rate of lymph node metastasis were compared. Results In group M, the total number of 228 lymph nodes, mean (14.27 ± 5.61) pieces, the positive rate was 12.50%; while in group C, the total number of 241 lymph nodes, mean (16.20 ± 6.24) pieces, the positive rate was 11.76 %. Two different pathological staging in patients with lymph nodes dissection has no significant difference (P > 0.05). In group M, 7 cases with lymph node metastasis, 45 metastatic lymph nodes, metastasis rate was 43.75 %, 19.74 % degree of metastasis; while in group C, 8 cases with lymph node metastasis, 55 metastatic lymph nodes, metastasis rate was 47.06%, transfer degree was 22.82%.Conclusions Minimally invasive surgery can achieve the same effect with the traditional open chest surgery, in treatment of thoracic esophageal cancer with high operability.