Objective To evaluate the curative effect,safety,advantages and disadvantages of helix hydro-jet and holmium laser lithotripsy in the treatment of intrahepatic bile duct stones.Methods 158 patients of intrahepatic bile duct stones were divided into helix hydro-jet group (n =82) and helix hydro-jet group (n =76).Time of lithotripsy,frequencies of lithotripsy,residual stone,intraoperative hemorrhage,postoperative hemorrhage,stone recurrence rate,postoperative fever,and therapeutic efficacy were compared between the two groups.Results There was no significant difference between the two groups on frequency of lithotripsy,residual stone rate and stone recurrence rate (P ＞ 0.05) ; whereas intraoperative washing normal saline (2 300 ± 275) ml vs (2 850 ± 331) ml,(P =0.002),the time of lithotripsy (54.2 ± 15.3) min vs (38.1 ± 12.7) min,P =0.041,intraoperative hemorrhage (19 cases vs 29 cases,P =0.041),Intraoperative analgesia (2 cases vs 9 cases,P =0.032),postoperative hemorrhage (11 cases vs 21 cases,P =0.037),and postoperative fever (30 cases vs 62 cases,P =0.027) had significant differences(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Both helix hydro-jet and the holmium laser lithotripsy is safe and effective for the treatment of intrahepatic bile duct stones.Holmium laser is more efficient than Helix Hydro-jet,while helix hydro-jet is safer than holmium laser in lithotripsy.