Objective:Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (PRFA) is known to be as effective as hepatectomy for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the long-term. We wished to ascertain how it is for recurrent small HCC.Methods:From January 2009 to November 2011,a series of sixty-one patients were included in the study according to the criteria:each patient had one recurrent HCC, less than 5 cm in diameter.Twenty-six of the 61 patients were treated with PRFA and the other 35 were treated with repeat hepatectomy.Results:The interval from first surgery to recurrent for repeat hepatectomy and PRFA groups were (1,239.60±1,017.00) d and (903.42±975.11) d respectively (P=0.066).The tumor-free time after repeat hepatectomy and PRFA were (310.23±159.50) d and (278.27±123.29) d respectively (P=0.584).Size of tumor in repeat hepatectomy and PRFA were (7.34±3.16) cm2 and (5.59±3.40) cm2 (P=0.215), the total expenditure for each patient of the two groups were (26,150.66±7,923.60) yuan and (21,135.00±1,156.76) yuan (RMB),and the time of hospitalization for each of the two groups were (15.29±4.28) d and (7.46±2.20) d (P＜0.001).Conclusion:PRFA is proved to be as effective as repeat hepatectomy in the treatment of recurrent small HCC,and superior to repeat hepatectomy as it is less invasive.