ObjectiveTo summarize experience of surgical treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. MethodsFrom January 2009 to July 2011, 87 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma were enrolled into the department of Biliary and Pancreatic Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University. The intra-and post-operative results were analyzed. ResultsOut of 87 cases, the resection rate was 67.8% (59/87). The radical (R0) resection rate was 48.3% (42/87), R1 resection rate was 11.5% (10/87), palliative (R2) resection rate was 8.0% (7/87). The patients were successfully got through the perioperative period, threre was no operative mortality. 1-year, 3-year, 5-year survival rates of the R0 resection group were 92.9% (39/42), 31.0% (13/42), 19.0% (8/42), respectively. No patient was alive more than 3 years in the groups of R2 resection and internal or external drainage. 1-year and 2-year survival rates of the R1 resection group were 70.0% (7/10) and 20.0% (2/10), respectively. 1-year survival rate of the R2 resection group was 57.1% (4/7). 1-year survival rate of the internal or external drainage group was 35.7% (10/28). 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates of the R1 resection group and R2 resection group were significantly lower than those of the R0 resection group (P<0.05). ConclusionFor hilar cholangiocarcinoma, radical resection is the only method to cure. Preoperative evaluation, percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage so as to relieve obstruction of biliary tract, proper liver resection and intraoperative pathology for resection margin are imperative guarantees lead to radical resection. Palliative resection might prolong survival time and improve quality of life.