Abstract:Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of painless endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) without endotracheal intubation.Methods 143 patients who underwent painless ERCP from July 1st 2019 to June 30th 2020 (painless ERCP group) and 141 patients who underwent ordinary ERCP from July 1st 2018 to June 30th 2019 (ordinary ERCP group) were enrolled. The preoperative disease composition, intraoperative conditions, intubation success rate, secondary clearance rate of stone and complications after surgery were compared between the two groups.Results There was 19 cases (13.29%) developed transient hypoxemia during the operation in the painless ERCP group, the patients were relieved rapidly after increasing the oxygen flow, raising the jaw, slowing down the rate of administration, adjusting the medication regimen and pressurizing the oxygen with a balloon. No conversion to endotracheal intubation and sedation-related adverse events occurred. There were 12 cases ended the operation ahead of schedule due to poor cooperation in the ordinary ERCP group. The tolerance rate of patients in the painless ERCP group was significantly better than that in the ordinary ERCP group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). The secondary stone clearance rate of ERCP in the painless group (0.93%, 1/107) was lower than that in the control group (7.69%, 9/117), and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 6.75, P < 0.01). The incidence rate of post-ERCP hyperamylasemia in the painless group was 16.78% (24/143), which was lower than that in the control group (28.37%, 40/141), and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 5.46, P < 0.05).Conclusion Painless ERCP is safe and efficient, which could significantly improve the patient's surgical tolerance, and reduce the incidence rate of secondary stone clearance and post-ERCP hyperamylasemia.