Objective To investigate the surgical perioperative management of establishing a rat model of orthotopic liver transplantation.Methods The model was established with modified cuff technique. The donor was perfused through the abdomial aorta with 20 ml cold perfusate. The anastomosis of the suprahepatic vena cava (VC) was sutured end-to-end with 8-Onylon line, and continuity of infrahepatic VC and portal vein(PV) was established by means of cuff method respectively. The bile duct anastomosis was performed by internal stent. Results Three hundred sixty cases of rat orthotopic liver transplantation were performed, and the successful rate of the mode was 91.3%. In non-intervention group, the survival rats were satisfactory, with a 86.5% of 1-week survival and a 80.7% of long-term survival (longer than 3 months).Conclusion Orthotopic liver transplantation in rats can be performed smoothly, the complication reduced largely, and the long-term survival raised under positive preoperative preparation,familiarity with operative procedure, and intensively post-operation nursing and observating.