Objective To analyze the application of bipolar radiofrequency-assisted device or monopolar radiofre-quency-assisted ablation in treatment for liver cancer by operation. Methods From June 2008 to May 2012， 56 patients with liver cancer underwent operation with bipolar radiofrequency-assisted device （Habib group， n=22） or monopolar radiofrequency-assisted ablation （mRFA group， n=34） were selected retrospectively. The operation time， postoperative morbidity， hospital stay， hospital costs， intraoperative bleeding， and therapeutic effects were compared in two groups. Results The percentage of patients with liver cirrhosis was 85.7% （48/56）， with multiple tumors was 12.5% （7/56）， underwent laparoscopic operation was 16.1% （9/56）. Patients with the tumor diameter greater than 5 cm in the Habib group were more than that in the mRFA group （P=0.000）， the laparoscopic surgery proportion had no significant difference in two groups （P=0.074）. ① The intraoperative bleeding in the Habib group was more than that in the mRFA group （P=0.000）. Two patients were adopted a hepatic portal blocking and 3 patients with intraoperative blood transfusion in the Habib group. ② The operation time in the Habib group was longer than that in the mRFA group （P=0.021）， but there was no difference of the operation time in two groups patients with tumor diameter greater than 5 cm （P=0.191）. ③ The postoperative morbidity had no obvious difference in two groups 〔18.2% （4/22） versus 11.8% （4/34）， P=0.780〕. ④ Thehospital stay and the hospital costs in the Habib group were significantly more than those in the mRFA group （P=0.001， P=0.004）.⑤The tumor residuals were found in two patients with tumor diameter greater than 5 cm. Conclusions Treatment for liver cancer by operation with bipolar radiofrequency-assisted device or monopolar radiofrequency-assisted ablation is safe and effective. The monopolar radiofrequency-assisted ablation has advantages of less intraoperative bleeding， more minimal invasion proportion， less hospital stay and hospital costs for liver cancer patients with small tumor （diameter＜3 cm）， multifocal tumors and minimal invasion conditions as compared with bipolar radiofrequency-assisted device. Operation with bipolar radiofrequency-assisted device in patients with larger tumors （diameter≥5 cm） resection might be a better choice.