Surgical bypass is still relevant in the palliation of malignant obstructive jaundice.

Malignant tumours of the biliopancreatic system causing obstructive jaundice are not curable in most of the patients, and palliation plays a very important therapeutic role. The role of surgery in palliation of malignant obstructive jaundice has been questioned in the light of availability of endoscopic techniques. In developing countries, however, exploratory laparotomy and palliative surgery (when possible) is the only option available as sophisticated instruments and the expertise to use them is limited to a very few centres. This was a retrospective study of 83 consecutive cases with malignant obstructive jaundice admitted to the Department of Surgery, NSCB Government Medical College, Jabalpur, MP, India from January 1996 to December 2000.