Objective To investigate the management of iatrogenic bile duct injury and evaluate the long term efficacy.  Methods The clinical data of 62 patients with iatrogenic bile duct injury who were admitted to the Peking Union Hospital from January 1982 to April 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 62 cases of iatrogenic bile duct injuries, 24 were caused by laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and 38 were caused by open cholecystectomy. Ten patients received non surgical treatment, including 8 patients received percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and drainage (PTCD) and 2 received endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)+stent implantation. Fifty two patients received surgical treatment, including 47 received cholecysto jejunostomy, 2 received cholecystoduodenostomy, 3 received biliary end to end anastomosis. Thirty six patients received PTCD preoperatively, and 42 received biliary stent implantation intraoperatively. Fifty patients received intraoperative peritoneal drainage to prevent postoperative peritoneal effusion or encapsulated bile collection.  Results Of the 52 patients who received surgery, 13 patients were complicated by more than 1 complication, including 1 case of wound infection, 4 cases of cholangitis, 2 cases of anastomotic leakage, 2 cases of anastomotic bleeding, 1 case of anastomotic occlusion, 1 case of biliary stent falling out and 3 cases of gastrointestinal diseases. Eighteen patients received cholangiography postoperatively, and 2 patients were diagnosed as with bile leakage. Fifteen patients received PTCD+biliary stent implantation, and 1 patient of them received percutaneous puncture drainage. Two patients received reoperation due to anastomotic bleeding. The mean time of peritoneal drainage for the 50 patients was (7.7±2.6)days. No perioperative death was observed, and the mean operation time was (18±12) days. Fifty five patients were followed up (10 patients received non surgical treatment, and 45 patients received surgical treatment), with a median time of 93 months. Of the 10 patients who received nonsurgical treatment, 1 received reoperation due to bile leakage, 3 received PTCD for the second time due to repeated cholangitis after PTCD. Of the 45 patients who received surgical treatment, 6 patients had long term complications, including 6 cases of fever, 4 cases of jaundice, 3 cases of choledocho lithiasis and 1 case of bile duct canceration; 4 received reoperation at the second year after operation.  Conclusions Early diagnosis of bile duct injury and operation carried out by experienced surgeons are important for a better short and long term prognosis. Surgical repair is the first line therapy for bile duct injury.