--- - |2 Abstract Background The potential advantages of laparoscopic‐assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) compared with open total gastrectomy (OTG) for Siewert Types II and III adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEJ) are not very clear. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the surgical outcomes and potential advantages of LATG for Siewert Types II and III AEJ. Methods The clinical data of 75 patients (32 for LATG and 43 for OTG) with Siewert II or III AEJ from August 2009 to February 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were followed up by telephone or out‐patient examination till August 2015. Results Two groups of patients were successfully performed with no perioperative death. The mean operation time was 3.23 ± 0.35 hr in LATG group, longer than the OTG group 2.83 ± 0.51 hr. The mean intraoperative bleeding was 122.7 ± 50.6 ml, less than the OTG group 219.2 ± 85.2 ml. The analgesics use was 3.00 ± 0.67 times in the LATG group, less than the OTG group 3.43 ± 1.03 times. The gastrointestinal function recovery time was 2.69 ± 0.46 days in the LATG group, shorter than the OTG group 3.42 ± 0.86 days. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 12.94 + 2.76 days in the LATG group, less than the OTG group 14.57 + 2.35 days (p < 0.05). Conclusions LATG and OTG had no significant difference for Siewert II and III AEJ in terms of radical resection and tumor recurrence, but LATG is worthy to be promoted with less bleeding, less postoperative pain, faster recovery of gastrointestinal function, and shorter hospital stay. - 'Journal of Cellular Physiology, EarlyView. '