ObjectiveTo explore significance of glucocorticoid for rat liver transplantation model. MethodsTwo hundred rats were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. The experimental group rats were injected with sulfate atropine resulotion 0.1 mg/kg, cephazolin-Na 0.3 g/kg and hydrocortisone 5 mg/kg while the control group rats were injected with sulfate atropine resulotion 0.1 mg/kg, cephazolin-Na 0.3 g/kg and equal volume of normal saline with glucocorticoid at 30 min before operation. The donor surgery time, repairing liver time, recipient surgery time, anhepatic phase, and 1-day, 3-day and 7-day survival rates were compared between these two groups. ResultsThe donor surgery time, repairing liver time, recipient surgery time, and anhepatic phase had no significant differences between the experimental group and control group (P>0.05), while the 1-day, 3-day and 7-day survival rates of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group [96% (48/50) versus 80% (40/50), P<0.05; 92% (46/50) versus 72% (36/50), P<0.05; 90% (45/50) versus 54% (27/50), P<0.05]. ConclusionUsage of glucocorticoid might contribute to improve survival rate of rat liver transplantation model.