Abstract:Objective To study the predictive value of features of the hepatopancreatic ampulla on the success of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) cannulation and complication rates.Methods Clinical data of 400 patients who underwent ERCP from June 2023 to October 2023 at two hospitals in Eastern China were retrospectively analyzed, patients were divided into non-protruding group (n = 184), protruding group (n = 76), diverticulum, mucosal folds group (n = 101) and twisted, tumour involved group (n = 39) according to hepatopancreatic ampulla features. The frequency of nipple contact during intubation, time to successful intubation, and procedure-related complications were recorded separately.Results The highest mean number of contacts in the nipple contact frequency was found in the twisted, tumour-involved group (8.95 ± 6.30) times, and the lowest number of contacts was found in the non-protruding group (4.01 ± 2.42) times, the difference was statistically significant in four groups (F = 31.06, P = 0.000). Hepatopancreatic ampulla features were a significant factor influencing cannulation time, with prolonged cannulation time observed in the twisted, tumour-involved group (353.96 ± 263.42) s and fastest cannulation in the non-protruding group (161.03 ± 118.06) s, the difference was statistically significant in four groups (F = 17.73, P = 0.000). A total of 31 patients (7.75%) experienced complications, with the highest number of post-ERCP pancreatitis and no cases of perforation or death.Conclusion Hepatopancreatic ampulla features are a simple and feasible way to predict the success of ERCP cannulation and the incidence of complications. In the future, it could be used as a biological predictor of the difficulty of bile duct cannulation.