Patients' status was evaluated by the ASA (American Society of Anaesthesiology) scoring system. Surgical procedure was conducted under low central venous pressure (5cm H2O) to avoid excessive bleeding from suprahepatic veins backflow.13 Patients' anaesthesia was performed using a single protocol that was common to all participating centres. Patients in whom this protocol was contraindicated due to medical reasons were excluded. A standardized general anesthesia using thiopental, sufentanil, atracurium and sevoflurane was applied throughout the study period. Mechanical ventilation was carried out using 50 % oxygen in nitrous oxide and was adjusted to keep end-tidal PCO2 between 4.7 and 6.0 kPA. Intra-venous cefazolin (Cephazolin, PANPHARMA laboratory, FOUGERES, France) was administered for antibioprophylaxy. An arterial line was inserted for arterial pressure monitoring and blood sampling. Central venous pressure was not consistently maintained below a predetermined level. Intraoperative Ringer lactate infusion was limited to the minimum, practically below 500 mL, until parenchymal resection was completed. Following liver resection, hydroxyethyl starch 130 (Voluven, Fresenius laboratory, SEVRES, France), 20 mL/kg, was infused in one hour. Thereafter, additional hydroxyethyl starch, fresh frozen plasma, red blood cell packs were administered as indicated by urinary output, hemodynamics, and biological data. Thresholds for blood transfusion were a hemoglobin level of 7g/dL for healthy patients 64 years of age or under, and 9 g/dL for patients 65 years of age or over and/or with preexisting cardiopulmonary disease (1).