HPB : the official journal of the International Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association
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Historically, hepatopancreatobiliary surgeons and gastroenterologists have undertaken endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) using benzodiazepine sedation (BS). This is poorly tolerated by a substantial number of patients, which leads to its potential premature abandonment and subsequent additional investigations and therapeutics, and hence to the exposure of patients to avoidable risk and the health service to increased costs. Furthermore, concerns have been raised in the recent literature regarding safe sedation techniques. ⋯ Propofol anaesthesia for ERCP carried out in the presence of an anaesthetist is safe and may improve procedural completion rates.