Objective To explore the related factors of postoperative pulmonary infection (PPI) in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery, and analyze the perioperative management strategy of pulmonary infection combined with the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). Methods Total of 687 patients who underwent laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery in the colorectal cancer professional treatment group of Gastrointestinal Surgery Center of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2017 to May 2019 were retrospectively included. According to the occurrence of PPI, all the included cases were divided into infection group (n=97) and non-infection group (n=590). The related factors and prevention strategies of PPI were analyzed. Results The rate of PPI among patients underwent laparoscopic resection in our study was 14.1% (97/687). Compared with the non-infection group, the proportions of patients with preoperative complications other than cardiopulmonary, receiving preoperative neoadjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, preoperative Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score 1–2, preoperative Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 (NRS2002) score 1–3, tumor located in the left colon and rectum, combined organ resection, operative time >3 h and postoperative TNM stage Ⅱ patients in the infection group were higher (P<0.05). However, the proportions of patients who used intraoperative lung protective ventilation strategy and incision infiltration anesthesia in the infection group were lower than those in the non-infection group (P<0.05). In the infection group, the proportions of patients who received regular sputum excretion, atomization therapy, balloon blowing/breathing training, stomatology nursing after operation and postoperative analgesia were all significantly lower than those of the non-infection group (P<0.05), whereas the proportions of patients receiving antibiotics and intravenous nutrition after operation were significantly higher than those in the non-infection group (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that low preoperative NRS2002 score, intraoperative protective ventilation strategy, postoperative respiratory training, and postoperative regular sputum excretion were the protective factors of PPI, while preoperative cardiopulmonary complications, preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy, tumor located in the left colon and rectum, late TNM staging and postoperative antibiotics were risk factors for pulmonary infection.Conclusions Preoperative cardiopulmonary complications, preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy, tumor location in the left colon and rectum, late TNM staging and postoperative antibiotics are risk factors for pulmonary infection in patients with laparoscopic colorectal cancer. Preoperative good nutritional status, intraoperative protective ventilation strategy, postoperative respiratory training and regular sputum excretion may reduce the incidence of PPI to a certain extent.