ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of unconventional abdominal drainage after laparoscopic hepatectomy.MethodsThe clinicopathologic data of patients who underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy for liver tumors in the Mianyang Central Hospital from June to December 2019 and met the inclusion criteria were retrospectively collected. Based on whether drainage tube was placed in the abdominal cavity during operation, the patients were divided into non-catheterized group (without drainage tube) and catheterized group (with drainage tube). The intraoperative data and postoperative complications (e.g. intraabdominal hemorrhage, bile leakage, abdominal infection, and liver failure) were compared between the two groups. Then, the intraoperative data and postoperative conditions of liver cancer and non-liver cancer patients with or without abdominal drainage tube were compared and analyzed.ResultsA total of 117 eligible patients were included in the study. The non-catheterized group had 59 patients and the catheterized group had 58 patients. The patients with liver cancer had 84 patients (44 non-catheterized patients and 40 catheterized patients) and the patients without liver cancer had 33 patients (15 non-catheterized patients and 18 catheterized patients). ① On the whole, the groups were comparable in the baseline data between the non-catheterized group and the catheterized group, such as gender, age, HBV infection, body mass index, hepatic function index, liver stiffness value, disease category, etc. (P>0.05). Compared with the catheterized group, the non-catheterized group had earlier off-bed activities and earlier flatus time (P<0.001), and shorter postoperative hospital stay (P=0.030). However, no statistically significant differences were found in other indicators between the two groups (P>0.05). ② Whether the patients had liver cancer or not, the non-catheterized patients still had earlier off-bed activities and earlier flatus time as compared with the catheterized patients (P<0.001). Among the patients with liver cancer, no difference was found in postoperative hospital stay. However, among the patients without liver cancer, the non-catheterized patients had shorter postoperative hospital stay than the catheterized patients (P=0.042). No statistically significant differences were found in other indicators between the catheterized patients and non-catheterized patients (P>0.05).ConclusionFor technologically skilled laparoscopic hepatectomy center, selectively not placing peritoneal drainage tube after surgery might better promote the health of patients.