Abstract:To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of laparoscopic and open surgery in the treatment of gastric stromal tumors. Methods The gastric stromal tumor patients diagnosed in Fengnan District Hospital of Tangshan from January 2009 to December 2012 were taken as the research objects. According to the operation methods, the patients were divided into laparoscopy group (58 cases) and laparotomy group (47 cases). The perioperative condition, postoperative recovery and survival were compared between the two groups. Results The operation modes of the two groups were similar (p > 0.05). However, compared to the laparotomy group, the amount of intraoperative bleeding was smaller; the operation time, the time for anal exhaust recovery, the time to retake the full liquid and semi liquid diets, and hospitalization time were significantly shorter in the laparoscopy group (p <0.05); the intraoperative risk level was also superior in the laparoscopy group (p < 0.05). The postoperative recovery in the laparoscopy group was faster than that in the laparotomy group ( p< 0.05). By Clavien-Dinbo rating the postoperative complications in the laparoscopic group were of stage I and II, while those in the laparotomy groupwere of stage II and III, the complications of the laparotomy group were more serious than those of the laparoscopy group (p < 0.05). In addition, the proportion of the patients receiving postoperative adjuvant treatment in the laparotomy group was significantly higher than that in the laparoscopic group (p < 0.05). The recurrence rate was 6.7% in the laparoscopic group which was lower than 10.6% in the laparotomy group; and the three-year diseasefree survival rate was 94.5% in the laparoscopic group, which was higher than that in the laparotomy group, but there were no statistical differences between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions Compared with laparotomy, laparoscopic surgery has better surgical safety and lower intraoperative risk, and is conducive to recovery. Their short-term oncological efficacy is similar. Further research should focus on the long-term efficacy of oncology.