Abstract
This prospective, randomized, controlled trial from the University of Hong Kong evaluated the efficacy of perioperative parenteral nutrition (PN) in patients requiring hepatectomy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma. From September 1990 through June 1993, 150 consecutive patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma were randomly assigned to receive either perioperative PN (n=75), in addition to usual oral diet, or to no additional therapy (oral diet alone without PN; n=75). Excluding patients with metastatic disease, a total of 64 patients in the perioperative PN group (39 with associated cirrhosis, 18 with chronic active hepatitis, and 7 without associated liver disease) were compared to 60 control patients (33 with cirrhosis, 12 with chronic active hepatitis and 15 with no associated liver disease).
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