Fast-track surgery improves postoperative outcomes after hepatectomy.

Fast-track (FT) programs have been applied in colorectal surgery for years. But in liver surgery, role of FT programs has not been fully established. So, a perspective study was performed in our center. A total of 297 hepatocellular carcinoma patients were randomized into FT and non-FT (NFT) group (n = 135 and 162, respectively) according to perioperative managements. Operation time, anhepatic phase and intraoperative blood loss were all significantly reduced in FT group; besides, first exhaust time after operation and hospital stay were also shortened significantly. Spearman correlation showed that operation time was positively correlated with four parameters, including the anhepatic phase, the intraoperative blood loss during surgery, the hospital day and the first exhaust time after surgery. The anhepatic phase was also positively correlated with the intraoperative blood loss during surgery. Besides, the hospital day was positively correlated with the intraoperative blood loss during surgery and the first exhaust time after surgery. FT postoperative management was the only predictor of the shorter first exhaust time after operation and the shorter hospital day. No total postoperative complication, readmission and postoperative mortality were observed. Our data indicated that FT programs were safe and effective in hepatectomy.