High-flow nasal cannula versus standard oxygen therapy assisting sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in high risk cases: A randomised multicentre trial

When doctors perform an endoscopic procedure called ERCP — a procedure that uses a camera and X-rays to look at the bile ducts and pancreas — patients receive sedation. During sedation, oxygen levels in the blood can drop, which is a real safety concern. This study compares two ways of giving extra oxygen during sedation: standard low-flow nasal tubes versus high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC), which delivers warm, humidified oxygen at higher rates. The study focuses on patients who are at higher risk of oxygen drops — including those who are obese, have sleep apnoea, or are generally sicker (ASA class 3 or 4). Researchers want to find out if high-flow oxygen delivery keeps blood oxygen levels more stable throughout the procedure. You may be eligible if you are an adult scheduled for ERCP who falls into a higher-risk category (e.g. BMI over 30, sleep apnoea, or significant other health conditions). People with very difficult airways, those requiring a breathing tube and general anaesthesia, or those at high risk of inhaling stomach contents would not be eligible.