Jaundice is one of the most common symptoms in patients with periampullary cancers including pancreatic cancer, common bile duct (CBD) cancer, ampulla of Vater (AoV) cancer, and duodenal cancer. Traditionally, preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) was routinely performed in these cancers because it might favorably influence sepsis, endotoxemia, and intravascular coagulation. However, a recent randomized control study reported that routine PBD in patients undergoing surgery for cancer of the pancreatic head increases the rate of complications. Therefore, routine PBD was not recommended. However, PBD is still necessary in case of patients with cholangitis or very high level of bilirubin or patients who are expected to receive delayed surgery.