Abstract: Objective To investigate the protective effect of ulinastatin combined with dexmedetomidine against ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) of the liver in patients undergoing laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) for liver cancer with cirrhosis. Methods Eighty patients with liver cancer and cirrhosis undergoing elective LH were randomized into ulinastatin (administered immediately before hepatectomy) group, dexmedetomidine (administered before anesthesia induction) group, ulinastatin plus dexmedetomidine group, and saline group (groups U, D, UD, and C, respectively). Venous blood samples were collected before the operation (T0) and at 30 min (T1), 24 h (T2), 3 days (T3), and 5 days (T4) after the operation. Serum levels of α-GST, MDA, TNF-α and IL-6 were analyzed at T0-T2. Serum levels of ALT, AST, BUN and Cr were measured at T0 and T2-T4, and the incidence of liver dysfunction, complications and postoperative hospital stay of the patients were recorded. Results At T1, serum α-GST, MDA, TNF-α and IL-6 levels increased significantly in groups U, D and UD compared with those in group C, and were significantly higher in groups U and D than in group UD (all P<0.05). At T2, the levels of MDA, TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly decreased in groups U, D and UD compared with those in group C, and were significantly higher in groups U and D than in group UD (all P<0.05). At T2-T4, the levels of ALT and AST were significantly lower in groups U, D and UD than in group C, and were higher in groups U and D than in group UD (all P<0.05). The patients in group UD had significantly shortened postoperative hospital stay as compared with those in group C (P<0.05). The incidences of complications or postoperative renal or liver insufficiency did not differ significantly among the 4 groups. However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of renal function, liver insufficiency and complications among the four groups (all P> 0.05). Conclusion In patients undergoing LH for liver cancer with cirrhosis, ulinastatin combined with dexmedetomidine provides enhanced protection against hepatic IRI possibly through a synergistic effect against oxidative stress and inflammatory response, thereby reducing perioperative liver injury and accelerating postoperative recovery

Key words: ulinastatin; dexmedetomidine; liver cancer; cirrhosis; laparoscopic hepatectomy; ischemia-reperfusion injury