Objective To evaluate the method of palliative drainage by means of metallic indwelling stents or plastic tubes for patients with malignant biliary obstruction.Methods From January 1995 to Febuary 2001, 243 consecutive patients (161 men and 82 women; aged 26-91 years, mean of 61.3 years) with malignant biliary obstruction were treated with transhepatic placement of metallic stents and/or plastic tubes. Among them, 47 patients had pancreatic carcinoma, 98 cholangiocarcinoma, 28 metastatic carcinoma and 60 hepatic carcinoma. 169 stents of nine types were used in this series. After stenting, 47 patients were treated for local tumors. Procedure- and device-related complications were recorded. Patient survival and stent patency rates were calculated with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.Results One hundred and three patients underwent successfully stent placement for the first time. Others had their stents installed 1 - 2 weeks after catheterization. Stents were used in 132 patients. Ninety-five patients were Objective To evaluate the method of palliative drainage by means of metallic indwelling stents or plastic tubes for patients with malignant biliary obstruction. Methods From January 1995 to Febuary 2001, 243 consecutive patients (161 men and 82 women; aged 26-91 years, mean of 61.3 years) with malignant biliary obstruction were treated with transhepatic placement of metallic stents and / or plastic tubes. Among them, 47 patients had pancreatic carcinoma, 98 cholangiocarcinoma, 28 metastatic carcinoma and 60 hepatic carcinoma. 169 stents of nine types were used in this series. After stenting, 47 patients were treated for local tumors. Procedure- and device-related complications were recorded. Patient survival and stent patency rates were calculated with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results One hundred and three patients underwent successfully stent placement for the first time. Others had their stents installed 1 - 2 weeks after catheterization. Stents were used in 132 patients. Ninety-f ive patients were