Application of remifentanil for conscious sedation and analgesia in short-term ERCP and EST surgery

This study aims to observe and evaluate the use of remifentanil in conscious sedation and analgesia for the safety and comfort of patients undergoing short-term endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). Sixty-eight patients who underwent ERCP and EST were randomly divided into two groups: research group and control group. Patients in the research group were intravenously injected with remifentanil (80–2/3∗ age) for 1 to 2 minutes, combined with the intravenous injection of propofol (20–30 mg) during the course of treatment. ERCP surgery was performed when Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) score reached 2–3. During the surgery, patients were closely monitored for cough symptoms, aspiration, and respiratory and circulatory system performance, and timely treatment was performed. Sedative drugs were not given in patients in the control group. In research group, the circulatory and respiratory depression of patients was mild, only one patient needed to be treated, and there was no arrhythmia requiring treatment. Five patients had respiratory depression (blood oxygen saturation decreased to <90%), which was immediately corrected. There were no interruptions during surgery due to body movement, cough, or aspiration. The use of remifentanil for conscious sedation and analgesia can be broadly applied in short-term ERCP, which greatly improves patient comfort during the surgery. This approach may bear promise for a widespread use in future clinical practice.