ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between perioperative blood transfusion and hepatic postoperative infection. MethodsOne hundred and thirty patients undergoing hepatic operation were analyzed retrospectively on the relation of perioperative blood transfusion with postoperative infective morbidity and mortality in the period 1989-1999. The patients were divided into blood transfused group and nontransfused group. The major or minor hepatectomy was performed in 53 patients with hepatic malignancy and benign diseases. ResultsIn the blood transfused group, the infective morbidity and perioperative mortality rate was 38.5% and 16.7% respectively, significantly higher than those in nontransfused group (11.5% and 3.8% respectively), P＜0.05. The total lymphocyte count was lower in transfused group than that in nontransfused group. The postoperative antibiotics used time and length of hospital stay were (9.7±4.2) days and (18.7±13.1) days respectively in transfused group than those in nontransfused group (5.3±2.3) days and (12.7±5.2) days respectively. ConclusionThe results suggest that hepatic postoperative infective morbidity and mortality are related with perioperative blood transfusion. Any strategy to reduce blood loss in liver surgery and decrease blood transfusion would be helpful to lower postoperative infective morbidity.