Selection criteria for safe hepatectomy for HCC are not well established. The aim of this study was the validation of the selection criteria for safe hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

All consecutive patients submitted to hepatectomy for HCC based on the same preoperative selection criteria from our prospectively-maintained liver unit database. Such criteria included the value of bilirubin (BIL), the value of cholinesterases (CHE), the presence of ascites, the presence of esophageal varices, and the rate of residual liver volume.

Inclusion Criteria:

• any patient with HCC submitted to hepatic resection at our Unit in the established frame time

Exclusion Criteria:

• any patient with missing data or lost at follow-up

The records of 336 consecutive patients who were submitted to hepatectomy between 2004-2012 were reviewed.