Background: The scarcity of available intensive care unit (ICU) beds in Greek hospitals prevents major surgical procedures and leads to repeated postponement of operations. The aim of our study was to evaluate risk factors that constitute admission to the ICU mandatory following hepatectomy. Methods: Patients undergoing heptectomy by one senior hepatobiliary surgeon during a 6 year period were prospectively sampled and retrospectively analyzed for the purposes of this study. Nominal logistic analyses were performed. Results: ICU coverage was requested for the performance of hepatectomy in 14 of 222 cases (6%). Patient age (p=0.0164; cutoff at 65 years), estimated surgery duration (p< 0.0001; cut-o at 260 min), open hepatectomy (vs laparoscopic; p=0.0065), scheduled major liver resection (p=0.0281), and performance of lymphadenectomy (p=0.0368) and of biliodigestive anastomosis (p=0.0224) were statistically significant parameters for postoperative ICU bed demand in the univariate analysis. Patient age (p=0.0061) and hepatectomy duration (p=0.0075) retained their statistical significance in the multivariate analysis. Patient age and operative duration represent the most important prognostic factors that can prevent postoperative ICU treatment in patients undergoing hepatectomy. Conclusion: Individualised preoperative patient evaluation could enable hepatectomies to be performed without the need for ICU beds. Such approach would increase the amount of responsibility for surgeons and anesthesiologists, requiring detailed and sincere patient consent.