Objective  To compare the difference of health-related quality of life after oncologic esophagectomy between the patients using Jiang's gastroesophageal anastomosis and traditional end-to-end gastroesophageal anastomosis.

  Methods  A total of 419 patients (223 in Jiang's anastomosis group, and 196 in end-to-end anastomosis group) underwent minimal invasive esophagectomy with cervical anastomosis from October 2012 to August 2016. All patients received radical esophageal cancer resection and cervical anastomosis. EORTC-QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OES18 were used to assess the health-related quality of life at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 12th, 24th month after esophagectomy.

  Results  There were 25 dimensions and items in EORTC-QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OES18. The postoperative quality of life decreased obviously at the 1st month and then recovered obviously at the 6th month after the surgery, and it ranged small at the 12th and 24th month. Compared with end-to-end anastomosis group, Jiang's anastomosis group had less reflux and less cough at the 1st month (P=0.023, P=0.010) and the 3rd month (P=0.004, P=0.013), then had better emotional function, less reflux and less cough at the 6th month (P=0.013, P=0.014, P=0.043), better emotional function, less nausea, and less reflux at the 12th month(P=0.004, P=0.023, P=0.021), as well as less reflux at the 24th month (P=0.020). There was no significant difference in other dimensions and items between the two groups during the follow-up period.

  Conclusion  Jiang's anastomosis is safe and feasible, and could improve the postoperative quality of life of the patients with esophagectomy. It is worth to further application in clinical practice.