To investigate the effects of enteral nutrition(EN) support combined with early nasal liquid feeding and nursing intervention on postoperative nutritional status of patients with esophageal cancer surgery.

Ninety-six patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery were divided into experiment group and control group using random number table method, with 48 patients in each group. Patients in experiment group were managed with nasal feeding of EN emulsion, and early nasal liquid feeding and nursing intervention were conducted. Patients in control group were only treated with nasogastric feeding of EN suspension and conventional care. The nutrition-related indicators(hemoglobin, urea, albumin, prealbumin and total cholesterol) before operation were compared with those on the seventh day after operation by PG-SAG scale.

There was no significant difference in age, gender constitution, time of EN commencement after operation, mean hospitalization days and incidence of perioperative complications between two groups(P>0.05). On the seventh day after operation, although the nutrition-related parameters decreased after operation in two groups, the concentrations of hemoglobin, urea, albumin, prealbumin and total cholesterol in experiment group were significantly higher than those in control group (t=6.836, P=0.009; t=6.503, P=0.012; t=4.492, P=0.028; t=5.073, P=0.020; t=6.082, P=0.018).

EN combined with nasal liquid feeding and nursing intervention can improve the perioperative nutritional status and promote postoperative rehabilitation in patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery.