ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical value of thoracoscopy combined with laparoscopy for the treatment of early stage esophageal carcinoma. MethodsFrom June 2010 to December 2011, 56 patients with esophageal carcinoma receiving thoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy(TLE)in our hospital and 53 receiving conventional open esophagectomy(OE) were included in the present study. The operative procedures,postoperative complications,recurrence or metastasis rates,mortality and follow-up outcomes were compared between the two groups. ResultsCompared with the OE group, TLE group had significantly less blood loss, shorter hospital stay, fewer ICU cases, shorter chest tube duration, less chest drainage amount and longer operation time(P<0.05).The number of harvested lymph nodes and positive lymph node rate were not significantly different between the two groups. The incidence rate of postoperative complication was 8.9% in TLE group and 11.3% in OE group (P>0.05). The two groups were followed up for 3 to 21 months. TLE group had a recurrence or metastasis rate of 5.7%, similar to that in the OE group (8.3%, P>0.05). The total survival rate of TLE group was 98.1%, which was similar to that in the OE group ( 97.9%, P>0.05). ConclusionThoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy is a safe,feasible,effective and minimally invasive method for treatment of esophageal cancer; it has less complications and quick recovery and has a similar short-term outcome to conventional open esophagectomy．