To investigate the safety and curative effect of laparoscopic microwave coagulation combined with hepatectomy for liver cirrhosis complicated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Clinical data of 58 patients with liver cirrhosis complicated with HCC diagnosed and treated in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between Janunary 2009 and November 2013 were retrospectively studied. The patients were divided into the microwave coagulation combined with hepatectomy group (the combination group) and the simple microwave coagulation group (the coagulation group) according to different treatment methods. Among the 37 patients in the combination group, 29 were males and 8 were females with average age of (54±9) years old. Among the 21 patients in the combination group, 17 were males and 4 were females with average age of (58±10) years old. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval had been received. The patients in the coagulation group only underwent laparoscopic microwave coagulation, while the patients in the combination group underwent hepatectomy after marking a incision line 1-2 cm from the tumor edge and undergoing microwave coagulation. The intraoperative blood loss and the duration of operation of two groups were observed. The comparison of the intraoperative blood loss and the duration of operation were conducted using Wilcoxon rank-sum test and the survival analysis was conducted using Log-rank test and Z test.

The intraoperative blood loss of the combination group was 146 (58-250) ml, which was significantly higher than 13 (10-25) ml of the coagulation group (Z=7.824, P<0.05). The duration of operation of the combination group was 177 (83-275) min, which was significantly longer than 93 (36-135) min of the coagulation group (Z=8.650, P<0.05). The 3-year cumulative survival rate and 1-, 3-year disease free survival of the combination group were respectively 97%, 83%, 92%, which were significantly higher than 64%, 71%, 43% of the coagulation group (Z=10.054, 9.011, 7.112; P<0.05).

Laparoscopic microwave coagulation combined with hepatectomy for liver cirrhosis complicated with HCC is safe and effective. The long-term curative effect is better than that of simple laparoscopic microwave coagulation.