Abstract: OBJECTIVE To observe the influence of tracheal intubation anesthesia and laryngeal mask anesthesia on postoperative pulmonary infection in ambulatory surgery patients so as to choose the appropriate airway support approach for the ambulatory surgery. METHODS A total of 2 783 patients who received the ambulatory surgery in hospitals from Jan 2015 to Jun 2016 were enrolled in the study and divided into the tracheal intubation group with 1 273 cases and the laryngeal mask group with 1 510 cases according to the anesthesia approach.The incidence rate of pulmonary infection, rate of delayed discharge, operation duration, intraoperative blood loss volume, rate of conversion to laparotomy, postoperative complications, total score of discharge 6 hours after surgery and non-planed readmission were observed and compared between the two groups of patients. RESULTS The incidence rate of pulmonary infection of the laryngeal mask group was 2.05%, significantly lower than 3.85% of the tracheal intubation group; the rate of delayed discharge of the laryngeal mask group was 3.18%, significantly lower than 4.87% of the tracheal intubation group(P＜0.05).The total score of discharge 6 hours after surgery was 8.92±0.42 in the laryngeal mask group, significantly higher than 8.85±0.47 in the tracheal intubation group(P＜0.05).The incidence rate of nausea and vomiting was 3.44% in the laryngeal mask group, significantly lower than 7.31% in the tracheal intubation group(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the operation duration, intraoperative blood loss volume, rate of conversion to laparotomy or incidence rate of postoperative pain, skin allergy or chills between the two groups of patients. CONCLUSION The laryngeal mask anesthesia may help to reduce the incidence rate of postoperative pulmonary infections in the ambulatory surgery patients and the rate of delayed discharge.