ObjectiveTo compare the therapeutic efficacy of biliary tract stent placing for malignant obstruction of biliary tract by percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC) or endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC). MethodsPTC approach: choosing the expansion intrahepatic bile duct which had a large angle traveling with common bile duct at the ultrasound-guided, we performed bile duct puncture and inserted the drainage pipe into it, then stent was placed with 68 cases (2 cases among the total were failure of ERC approach) after a week drainage. ERC approach: inserting drainage tube into the common bile duct by duodenal endoscopic retrogradely, the angiography showed obstruction site, the guide wire inserted through the obstruction site, then stent was placed along the guide wire with 53 cases. ResultsThe achievement ratio of stent placing by PTC was 100%(68/68), and which by ERC was 96.2%（51/53）. The complications (bleeding, bile leakage) didn’t happen in two groups. 1-18 months (average 12.4 months) of follow-up, the died cases of PTC group and ERC group were 7 and 5 cases within 6 months, respectively; the survive cases of which were 17 and 9 cases after 18 months of treatment, respectively. ConclusionsThe biliary tract stent placing is a safe and effective method to the malignant obstruction of biliary tract patients who can not drainage tube be treated by operation. It can relieve biliary obstruction efficiency, and can increase live time and life quality for patients. We can choose the stent placing method by ERC for cases whose obstruction site is at the inferior of common bile duct or duodenal ampulla, and the cases whose obstruction site is at the above of hepatic porta should be chosen by PTC.