Objective To evaluate the therapeutic approach for patients with periampullary carcinoma (complicated) with acute cholangitis. Methods A comparative analysis of the clinical data of cases of (periampullary) carcinoma with acute cholangitis who were admitted and treated in our hospital during a 12-year period.They included 25 cases who underwent primary resection, and 12 cases who underwent a two-stage resection with initial bile duct drainge. Results After conservative procedures, the preoperative temperature and WBC of patients in primary resection group were much lower than when admitted(P0.05). Total bilirubin and albumin levels showed no significant changes. Compared with the two-stage resection group,the primary resection group had shorter preoperative preparation time, shorter operation time, lesser intra-operative blood loss, but higher postoperative infection complication rate and prolonged length of hospital stay(P0.05). Conclusions Patients with periampullary carcinoma complicated with acute cholangitis can initially be treated conservatively . After biliary infection is controlled, primary (pancreatoduodenectomy) is performed.