Stadheim 2000.

Methods	Randomised clinical trial.
Participants	Country: USA. Number randomised: initially not stated, post randomisation drop outs not stated, final participants number 23. Mean age: not stated. Females: not stated. Cirrhotic livers: not stated. Steatotic livers: not stated. Inclusion criteria: 1. Major liver resection. 2. ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) performance status (0 to 2). 3. Primary liver cancer or metastatic liver cancer confined to liver.
Interventions	Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: Intervention group 1: administered preoperative and postoperative misoprostol (a synthetic prostaglandin E1 analogue) (n = 13). Intervention group 2: administered preoperative and postoperative pentoxifylline (a xanthine derivative) (n = 10).
Outcomes	The outcomes reported were mortality, liver decompensation, and enzyme markers of liver injury.
Notes	We contacted the authors for information regarding random sequence generation and allocation concealment (questions sent January 2008). There was no reply from the authors. Reasons for drop‐outs: liver vascular occlusion not required and inoperable tumour. The number of drop‐outs across each intervention group not stated.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Incomplete outcome data addressed? outcomes 2‐4 weeks	High risk	Comment: post‐randomisation drop‐outs could be related to outcomes.
Free of selective reporting?	Low risk	Comment: all important outcomes reported.
Free from academic bias?	Low risk	Comment: no previous published studies of the same comparison by the trial authors.