Objective To investigate the effects of two approaches of anesthesia maintenance, propofol and sevoflurane, on early cognitive function of elderly patients after ambulatory surgery. Methods Sixty elderly patients who were scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy as ambulatory surgery were selected. The patients were divided into two groups according to the random number table method (n=30): a propofol group and a sevoflurane group. Neuropsychological test scores were recorded one day before surgery and 24 h after surgery respectively. Venous blood was extracted before anesthesia induction and 24 h after surgery. The levels of plasma insulin‑like growth factor 1 (IGF‑1), serum interleukin (IL)‑6, IL‑1β and tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Both groups were compared for the scale scores and inflammatory factor changes before and after surgery. Results Both approaches of anesthesia maintenance could result in postoperative neurocognitive function changes in some patients, including 2 cases (6.9%) in the sevoflurane group and 2 cases (6.7%) in the propofol group, without statistical difference in the incidence between the two groups (P>0.05). There was no statistical difference in neuropsychological test scores between the two groups before and after surgery (P>0.05). There was no statistical difference in the levels of inflammatory factors between the two groups before anesthesia induction and 24 h after surgery (P>0.05). Conclusions These two approaches of general anesthesia maintenance have no effect on the changes of early cognitive function in elderly patients after ambulatory surgery, without effect on the levels of blood inflammatory factors 24 h after surgery.