【Objective】To investigate the role of transnasal ileus tube combined with somatostatin in the treatment of early postoperative inflammatory small bowel obstruction（EPISBO） in elderly patients with gastrointestinal tumor.【Methods】A total of 107 elderly patients with EPISBO after gastrointestinal tumor surgery were enrolled into this retrospective study. According to adopted treatment plan，they were divided into two groups：the observation group treated with transnasal ileus tube combined with somatostatin and the control group treated with nasogastric tube combined with somatostatin. Then we compared the therapeutic efficacy and adverse reactions between the two groups. 【Results】The response rate was 98.21% in the observation group ，significantly higher than 86.27% in the control group（χ2=3.910，P< 0.05）. Compared with those in the control group ，in the observation group ，we found significantly larger amounts of abdominal circumference reduction and gastrointestinal decompression in the first 48 h（P<0.05）；significantly earlier stoppage of vomiting，first passage of flatus，self-defecation，disappearance of air fluid level and significantly shorter postobstruction duration of hospitalization（P<0.05）. After 8-day treatment ，the inflammatory indicators was significantly decreased（P<0.05）. No significant difference was found in incidence of adverse reactions between the two group（χ2=1.874，P>0.05）.【Conclusions】The transnasal ileus tube combined with somatostatinis effective and safe in the treatment of EPISBO in elderly patients with gastrointestinal tumor，so it is worth popularizing in clinic.