ObjectiveTo summarize the current status and progress of surgical treatment for postoperative recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodThe literatures about studies of surgical treatment of postoperative recurrent HCC were reviewed.ResultsThe surgical operation was an effective method for the treatment of recurrent HCC. The operation methods included re-hepatectomy and salvage liver transplantation. There was no uniform standard for the indication of re-hepatectomy, but the basic principles were the same. At present, the indication of salvage liver transplantation was mainly based on Milan criteria. For patients with recurrent HCC who met the operation indications, surgical operation could improve the long-term survival rate of patients and benefit the patients.ConclusionIt migh prolong the survival time and improve the long-term survival rate of patients with recurrent HCC when the appropriate patients and reasonable surgical methods are chosen according to the surgical indications, the tumor situation of initial hepatectomy, postoperative recurrence time, and other factors.