Objective To introduce summarily and discuss current controversial problems in terms of necessity and methods of preoperative biliary drainage for patients with malignant biliary obstruction diseases. Method The relevant domestic and international literatures in recent years were reviewed and summarized, and the basis, pros and cons, selectable ways, and current controversy of preoperative biliary drainage were analyzed. Results With development of the research, the view of preoperative biliary drainage also has been changed continuously. At the present time, the main arguments focus on the necessity, timing, biliary decompression way of preoperative biliary drainage and corresponding surgical opportunity after biliary drainage. Incorrect patient selection and undue pursuit of preoperative biliary drainage would be completely opposite to the treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. Conclusions It is generally recommended that preoperative biliary drainage in patients with malignant biliary obstruction diseases is not needed and surgery is performed directly. For patients who have indications of preoperative biliary drainage, it could make patients spend perioperative period smoothly if a reasonable way of biliary decompression is chosen. However, it is necessary to take some large sample retrospective analyses or prospective studies for exploring existing problems of preoperative biliary drainage in future.