Objective To investigate the value of radiofrequency device in liver resection for the treatment of primary liver cancer.Methods The clinical data of 82 patients with primary liver cancer who received liver resection at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2010 to February 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.All patients were divided into radiofrequency liver resection group (41 patients) and routine liver resection group (41 patients).The clinical characteristics including Child classification,operation time,intraoperative blood loss,and postoperative complications of the 2 groups were compared.All data were analyzed using the t test or chi-square test.Results The mean operation time of the radiofrequency liver resection group was (77 ± 28 ) minutes,which was significantly shorter than ( 129 ± 34) minutes ( t =7.432,P ＜ 0.05 ).The number of patients who received inflow occlusion in the radiofrequency liver resection group was 4,which was significantly smaller than 23 in the routine liver resection group ( x2 =19.934,P ＜ 0.05 ).The volumes of operative blood loss and rate of patients who received blood transfusion were (241 ± 214)ml and 15％ (6/41) in the radiofrequency liver resection group,(751 ± 421 )ml and 49％ (20/41) in the routine liver resection group (t =6.920,x2 =11.038,P ＜ 0.05 ).There were no significant difference in the rate of postoperative blood loss and biliary leakage between the 2 groups ( x2 =0.213,1.822,P ＞ 0.05).The mean postoperative hospital stay of the radiofrequency liver resection group was ( 9 ± 4) days,which was significantly shorter than ( 12 ± 7 ) days of the routine liver resection group ( t =2.368,P ＜ 0.05 ).No patients died intraoperatively.Conclusion The radiofrequency device could effectively control blood loss,shortens operation time and postoperatively hosptial stay,and it has great value in the liver resection for the treatment of primary liver cancer.