Objective: To compare the surgical effects of transumbilical single-port laparoscopic, conventional multi-port laparoscopic and open approach for colectomy. Methods: The clinical data of 34 patients undergoing transumbilical single-port laparoscopic colectomy (single-port group) between January 2011 and December 2012 along with 22 patients receiving multi-port laparoscopic colectomy (multiport group) and 70 patients subjected to open colectomy (open surgery group) during the same period were retrospectively analyzed. The perioperative variables, surgical effects and quality of life of the patients among the groups were compared. Results: The general clinical data showed no statistical significance among the three groups of patients (all P>0.05). The average operative time in multi-port group was significantly prolonged compared with single-port group or open surgery group (both P<0.05), which in latter two groups showed no statistical difference (P>0.05). The parameters that included intraoperative blood loss, length of incision, postoperative pain index, and time to flatus, liquid diet, and ambulation, as well as length of hospital stay in the single-port group and multi-port group were all superior to those in open surgery group (all P<0.05), but between single-port group and multi-port group, these parameters had no statistical significance (all P>0.05). There was no statistical difference in perioperative costs, incidence of postoperative complications and recurrence rate among the groups (all P>0.05). The cosmetic scale and self-perceived body-image scale in single-port group and multi-port group were significantly higher than those in open surgery group (all P<0.05), and the cosmetic scale in single-port group was also higher than that in multi-port group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Laparoscopic colectomy offers similar efficacy to open surgery with the advantages of minimal invasiveness, quick recovery and little effect on quality of life, and as for the cosmetic results, single-port approach is the best option.