Objective To examine the effect and safety of thoracoscopic surgery for left atrium myxoma excision. Method Sixty-nine left atrial myxoma patients underwent excision of left atrial myxoma in our hospital between January 2012 and August 2014 year. The patients were divided into two groups according to the procedure. Thirty patients under-went thoracoscopic surgery, as a thoracoscopic group, with 8 males and 22 females, aged 47.36±13.02 years. Thirty-nine patients received median sternotomy surgery, as a median sternotomy group, with 10 males and 29 females, aged 49.17±13.09 years. The effect and safety between the two groups were compared. Results All patients survived after surgery without death and other serious complications. Compared with the median sternotomy surgery group, longer cardiopul- monary bypass and aortic cross clamp time, shorter ICU stay, ventilator support, and postoperative drainage time, shorter hospital stay time, less postoperative drainage, lower cost, and more higher rate of returning to work in 1 month after surgery were found in the thoracoscopic group with P value less than 0.05. There was no complication of stroke and other neurological complication in the two groups. All patients were followed up for 11 months to 4 years and 7 months, average age of 38.5±12.7 months. There was no recurrence in both groups. Conclusions The thoracoscopic left atrial myxoma excision cardiopulmonary is effective and safe. It can be used as a surgical treatment of left atrial myxoma preferred.