Laparoscopic hepatectomy for malignant tumors is the last frontier in minimally invasive surgery. Since its introduction by Gagner in 1992, the progress of laparoscopic hepatectomy has been slow and only gained minor acceptance among hepatic surgeons. This approach has been regarded to be technique-demanding and time-consuming and to have a high conversion rate. The risk of intraoperative bleeding and air embolism and lack of effective parenchymal transaction tools were all obstacles to widespread use of this approach. However, an increasing body of literature has reported successful experiences with laparoscopic hepatectomy for benign as well as for malignant hepatic tumors. Some series reported decreased blood loss, fewer wound complications and shorter hospital stay after laparoscopic hepatectomy. In this review, we will review current publications on laparoscopic hepatectomy and discuss available laparoscopic hepatectomy techniques, indications and results.