Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of using interposition of the hepatic round ligament in surgical treatment of tumor in the hepatic hilar region. 
Methods: Ninety-seven patients with tumor in the hepatic hilar region admitted in Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University were enrolled, and were randomly assigned into the study group (49 cases) and the control group (48 cases) by using random number table. Both groups of patients underwent hilar tumor resection, and patients in study group underwent enterohepatic anastomosis with interposition of the hepatic round ligament, while those in control group underwent conventional anastomosis during operation. The main surgical variables, liver function parameters and survival rates were compared between the two groups of patients.
Results: The preoperative data showed no significant differences between the two groups (all P>0.05). No statistical differences were noted in operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and length of hospitalization between groups (all P>0.05). The main parameters of liver function, the hemoglobin levels and the white blood cell counts were all significantly increased in both groups on 48 h after operation compared with their preoperative values (all P<0.05), but all showed no significant differences between the two groups (all P>0.05). The overall incidence of postoperative complications was significantly lower in study group than that in control group (26.53% vs. 54.17%, P<0.05). There were no significant differences in 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates between the two groups (all P>0.05).
Conclusion: In surgical treatment of tumor in the hepatic hilar region, enterohepatic anastomosis with interposition of the hepatic round ligament can achieve the similar short- and long-term efficacy as the conventional enterohepatic anastomosis, with reduced complications. So, it is recommended to be used in clinical practice.