ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of extra-sheath dissection via the Laennec membrane space combined with indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence navigation in laparoscopic anatomic hepatectomy. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of hepatocellular carcinoma patients who underwent laparoscopic anatomic hepatectomy at Leshan People’s Hospital between January 2022 and September 2025. The study group comprised patients who underwent the extra-sheath anatomical approach via the Laennec’s capsule space combined with ICG fluorescence navigation, while the control group consisted of patients who underwent the conventional intra-sheath Glissonean pedicle transection approach combined with intraoperative ultrasound. ResultsA total of 113 patients were included in this study, including 54 cases in the study group and 59 cases in the control group. Intraoperative blood loss [MD=–139.88 mL, 95%CI (–229.51, –50.25) mL], number of drainage tubes × drainage tube indwelling time [MD=–2.00 (tubes×d), 95%CI (–4.00, 0.00) (tubes×d)], postoperative ambulation time [MD=–0.58 d, 95%CI (–0.94, –0.22) d], alanine aminotransferase level on postoperative day 1 [MD=–129.83 U/L, 95%CI (–259.96, –5.71) U/L], aspartate aminotransferase level on postoperative day 1 [MD=–131.09 U/L, 95%CI (–259.12, –3.06) U/L], albumin level on postoperative day 1 [MD=1.64 g/L, 95%CI (0.21, 3.06) g/L], and hospitalization cost [MD=–5 523.10 yuan, 95%CI (–10 572.42, –471.77) yuan] of the study group were all better than those in the control group (P< 0.05). ConclusionExtra-sheath dissection via the Laennec membrane space combined with ICG fluorescence navigation can improve the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomy, and is worthy to explore further its clinical application value.