Abstract:Objective To investigate the efficacy of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (PRFA) and surgical resection in the treatment of small primary hepatocellular carcinoma ≤ 3 cm in diameter.Methods From January 2015 to June 2017, 78 patients with primary small hepatocellular carcinoma treated in our hospital were included. The observation group was treated with ultrasound-guided PRFA, while the control group was treated with laparoscopic segmental hepatectomy. The serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (TBIL) were detected by the automatic biochemical analyzer, and the serum levels of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) were detected by the electrochemiluminescence automatic immunoanalyzer.Results The operative duration and the length of hospital stay were shorter and the intraoperative blood loss was less in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The differences of serum levels of AST, ALT, TBIL, and AFP before and after the treatment in the observation group were greater than those in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups (P > 0.05). The 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival rates and recurrence rates after the treatment were also not different between the two groups (P > 0.05).Conclusions Compared with surgical resection, PRFA shortens the operative duration, reduces intraoperative blood loss, and promotes the recovery of liver function in the treatment of small primary hepatocellular carcinoma ≤ 3 cm in diameter. Besides, the incidence of postoperative complications, survival rates and recurrence rates were comparable between the two groups.