Objective  This report aimed to investigate a modified thoraco-abdominal incision for treating gastric cardiac carcinoma(GCC).

  Methods  Comparative analysis was used to study three different approaches in the surgery of GCC patients in The Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University from October 2007 to October 2011.One group was treated with left thoracic incision, one group with classic thoraco-abdominal incision, and one group with modified thoraco-abdominal incision.Analyses of related factors were conducted, including average operating time, perioperative blood loss, time of chest tube removal, length of hospital stay, lymph node dissection, postoperative complications and differences in respiratory functions and postoperative pain, in the patients in the three groups.

  Results  The mean operating time and the lymph node dissection results of the patients in modified thoraco-abdominal incision were similar to those in classic thoraco-abdominal incision.Postoperative complications and use of analgesic drugs were lesser in modified thoraco-abdominal incision compared with those in the other two groups.Postoperative impairment and recovery of the pulmonary functions also exhibited favorable advantage in this group compared with the patients in left thoraco incision and classic thoraco-abdominal incision.

  Conclusion  The diameter of the modified thoraco-abdominal incision can be in accordance to the requirements of the surgery for GCC, with the advantages of small size and less impact on the heart and lung functions in patients.The surgery is simple, practical, and easy to perform.