To compare the safety and clinical efficacy between laparoscopic hepatectomy and open hepatectomy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Clinical data of 67 patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomy in Meizhou People's Hospital from January 2013 to January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. The patients were divided into the laparoscopic hepatectomy and open hepatectomy groups according to different surgery. In laparoscopic hepatectomy group (n=31), 29 patients were male and 2 were female, aged (58±3) years on average. In open hepatectomy group (n=36), 32 cases were male and 4 were female, aged (57±3) years on average. The operation time and resumption time of gastrointestinal function between 2 groups were compared by t test. The rate was compared by Chi-square test.

In laparoscopic hepatectomy group, the resumption time of gastrointestinal function, retention time of drainage tube and postoperative length of hospital stay were (3.0±0.2), (2.9±0.3) and (9.4±1.2) d, significantly shorter than (4.7±0.3), (4.1±0.5) and (15.4±1.4) d in open hepatectomy group (t=-26.820, -11.670, -18.610; P<0.05). No perioperative death occurred in either group. The incidence of postoperative complications in laparoscopic hepatectomy group was 3%(1/31) and 22%(8/36) in open hepatectomy group, where no significant difference was observed (χ²=3.670, P>0.05). The 1-year overall survival rate and tumor-free survival rate in laparoscopic hepatectomy group were respectively 90%(28/31) and 80%(25/31), which did not significantly differ from 86%(31/36) and 72%(26/36) in open hepatectomy group (χ²=0.023, 1.150; P>0.05).

Compared with the open hepatectomy, laparoscopic hepatectomy has the advantage of safe, minimal invasion and faster postoperative recovery, and achieve a similar clinical efficacy.