ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) combined with preoperative oral nutrition supplement (EnsourceTM) in patients with rectal cancer and its effect on postoperative stress response.MethodsFrom January 2018 to August 2018, 80 patients with laparoscopic assisted radical resection of rectal cancer in our hospital were divided into two groups according to different perioperative management. Forty patients who had used enhanced recovery after surgery combine preoperative application of tumor total nutrition formula enteral nutrition solution were as observation group, while other 40 patients who only had used enhanced recovery after surgery in perioperative as control group. We observed the stress response (mean systolic blood pressure, mean diastolic blood pressure, mean heart rate, mean blood oxygen saturation, pain score and fasting blood glucose) at 24 hours after surgery and the time of the first anal exhaust, complication rate, hospitalization time, and hospitalization cost after surgery in both groups. We also compared the early postoperative (on the second day after operation) nutritional status of the two groups like the levels of serum total protein, albumin and proalbumin.ResultsThe mean systolic blood pressure, mean diastolic blood pressure, mean heart rate, mean blood oxygen saturation, pain score and fasting blood glucose of the observation group at 24 hours after surgery were significantly lower than those of the control group (P<0.05), while the total serum protein, albumin and prealbumin concentrations of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group on the second day after surgery (P<0.05). Postoperative hospitalization time and hospitalization cost in the observation group were also shorter or less than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the first postoperative anal exhaust time was earlier and the incidence of postoperative complications was reduced in the observation group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05).ConclusionsERAS combined with preoperative application of tumor total nutrition formula enteral nutrition fluid (EnsourceTM) can reduce the postoperative stress response and the postoperative complication rate of patients with rectal cancer, and also improve the postoperative nutrition status of patients and promote the rapid recovery of patients after sugery.