ObjectiveTo systemically evaluate safety and effectiveness of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) and conventional open distal gastrostomy(CODG) with D2 lymph node dissection for Chinese patients with distal gastric cancer. MethodsLiterature were searched in PubMed database, the Cochrane Library, China science citation database (CSCD), Wanfang database, China science and technology journal database (CSTJ), China biomedical literature database (CBM), and China academic journal network publishing database (CAJD) to identify clinical random controlled trials, comparing safety and effectiveness of LADG and CODG with D2 lymph node dissection for Chinese patients with distal gastric cancer. The retrieval time was from the inception to Jun. 2013. Meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager 5.2 software. ResultsA total of 7 clinical random controlled trials including 548 patients were analyzed. Compared with CODG group, LADG group had less blood loss (MD=-94.02, 95% CI:-140.96--47.07), shorter postoperative hospital stay(MD=-3.66, 95% CI:-5.76--1.57), earlier postoperative ambulation time(MD=-1.95, 95% CI:-2.74--1.17), earlier postoperative exhaust time (MD=-1.67, 95% CI:-2.05--1.30), lower incidence of complications(OR=0.26, 95% CI:0.14-0.51), P<0.050. But the operation time was longer in LADG group (MD=35.01, 95% CI:10.41-59.61, P=0.005). There was no significant difference between LADG group and CODG group on number of lymph node which were dissected during the operation (MD=-0.24, 95% CI:-0.99-0.51, P=0.530). ConclusionThe short-term outcome and safety of LADG for Chinese patients with distal gastric cancer is superior to CODG, but LADG prolongs the operation time and its long-term outcome should be proved by further outcomes of clinical controlled trials.