Pancreaticoduodenectomy was invented by Codivila in 1898. It was not widely applied because of the difficulties in organ removal and digestive tract reconstruction, high risks of postoperative complications and mortality. The undesired outcomes of operation and the patients seeking treatment urge the medical technicians to keep improving the operation. Nowadays, this surgery has become a routine procedure for the therapeutic option of tumors in the head and periampullary area of the pancreas, with significant improvements in short and long-term outcomes. This paper reviewed the development of pancreaticoduodenectomy and discusseed its application in the future.