Objective: To compare the surgical safety of different hepatic inflow occlusion methods for hepatectomy in rats with liver cirrhosis and subsequent impairments to the liver and bowel. Methods: Rats with liver cirrhosis induced by CCl4 plus ethanol underwent Higgins-Anderson 70% hepatectomy. According to different hepatic inflow occlusion methods used during operation, rats were divided into group A (using Pringle maneuver), group B (using hemihepatic vascular occlusion), group C (using hepatic inflow occlusion without hemihepatic artery control) and group D (using portal vein shunting hepatic inflow occlusion without hemihepatic artery control), with 30-min occlusion time for all groups. The surgical success rate, 24-h posthepatectomy survival rate and postoperative pathological changes in the liver and small intestine among groups were compared. Results: In group A, group B, group C and group D, the surgical success rate was 90.9% (10/11), 76.9% (10/13), 83.3% (10/12) and 76.9% (10/13) respectively, and the difference among them had no statistical significance (P>0.05); the 24-h posthepatectomy survival rate was 3/10 (30%), 10/10 (100%), 9/10 (90%) and 10/10 (100%) respectively, and which in all the latter three group were significantly higher than that in group A (all P<0.05). Pathological examination showed that the liver and small intestinal mucosal tissue in group A were severely damaged, while in the remaining groups, except for the intestinal mucosal injury in group C was similar to that in group A, the liver injuries were all milder than that in group A, and the intestinal mucosal tissues had almost no pathological lesions. Conclusion: In liver resection for rats with liver cirrhosis, the surgical safety and degree of liver damage of either procedures of hemihepatic vascular occlusion, hepatic inflow occlusion without hemihepatic artery control and portal vein shunting hepatic inflow occlusion without hemihepatic artery control are superior to Pringle maneuver.