To evaluate the safety and efficacy of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in the perioperative period of hepatectomy for primary liver cancer (PLC).

Clinical data of 201 patients with PLC who underwent hepatectomy in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from October 2017 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. All patients were divided into the ERAS group (n=104) and control group (n=79) according to whether ERAS was adopted or not. In the ERAS group, 75 cases were male and 29 female, aged (53±13) years on average,where ERAS measures were delivered. In the control group, 72 cases were male and 25 female, aged (55±11) years on average, where traditional perioperative treatments were performed. The anal exhaust time, the first ambulation time after operation between two groups were compared by t test. The rate comparison was performed by Chi-square test.

In the ERAS group, the postoperative anal exhaust time, first ambulation time, postoperative urinary catheter indwelling time and postoperative length of hospital stay were (38±13) h, (44±13) h, (44±13) hand (10±6) d, respectively, significantly shorter than (43±16) h, (60±23) h, (60±23) h and (14±4) d in the control group (t=-2.439, -6.123, -6.123, -5.808; P<0.05). 18 cases in the ERAS group suffered from moderate or severe pain after surgery and 29 in the control group with significant difference was observed between two groups (χ²=4.440, P<0.05). Postoperative complication was observed in 1 case in the ERAS group, and 4 cases in the control group without significant difference was observed (χ²=2.690, P>0.05).

ERAS can be used in the perioperative period of hepatectomy to promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function, shorten the postoperative length of hospital stay and accelerate the postoperative recovery for PLC patients.