Abstract： Objective To compare the costs of non-invasive mask ventilation using bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) and intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) via endotracheal intubation for general intravenous or endotracheal anesthesia,and to assess the clinical application of BiPAP mask ventilation for general anesthesia.Methods Sixty patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were complete randomly assigned into group 1 (BiPAP-NIPPV group,n=20) to receive propofol maintenance intravenous injection plus BiPAP ventilation,group Ⅱ (endotracheal intubation group,n=20) to be treated with propofol maintenance intravenous injection plus endotracheal intubation and group Ⅲ (endotracheal intubation group,n=20) to undergo sevoflurane maintenance inhaled anesthesia,respectively.Sufentanil and cisatracurium were applied for maintenance analgesia and muscle relaxation.Patients were monitored using narcotrend index (NI) to determine the degree of anesthesia,with a target range of between 50 and 60 corresponding to DTS grading of D1 for encephalogram.The consumption of anesthetics,time to extubation and length of stay in postanesthesia care unit were recorded.Results All the groups did differ statistically in terms of general conditions and duration of surgery and anesthesia (P＞0.05).The cost of anesthetics was (360.5 ± 90.7) RMB in group Ⅰ,(502.4 ± 81.2) RMB in group Ⅱ and (441.0 ±99.3) RMB in group Ⅲ (P＜0.05),respectively.There was no significant difference in vital signs and arterial blood gas analysis at all time points among three groups (all P＞0.05).Conclusion Short-term non-invasive mask ventilation using BiPAP for laparoscopic cholecystectomy is associated with lower consumption and cost of anesthetics,thus achieving equivalence as compared with endotracheal intubation using IPPV.