Objective To analyze the curative effect of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)combined with early enteral nutrition(EN)for treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis(SAP). Methods 70 SAP patients were randomly divided into TCM plus EN group(36 cases)and conventional therapy group(34 cases). Both groups received routine treatment. Additionally,TCM+EN group received early EN and TCM decoction treatment〔the ingredients of decoction including radix bupleuri,radix paeoniae alba,radix scutellariae,fructus aurantii immaturus, magnolia bark,raw rhubarb(rhubarb was added at last during cooking the decoction)and natrii sulfas exsiccatus (dissolved in water to be administered)each 10 g,the decoction was concentrated to 150 mL and then administered via a stomach tube to the patient,afterwards the tube was clipped for 2.5-3 hours,twice a day,4-7 days constituting a therapeutic course〕. After treatment,the time for patients' symptoms improvement,the situation of intestinal recovery, the length of stay in hospital,the total medical cost,serum C-reactive protein(CRP),aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), amylase (AMY), acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ(APACHEⅡ)score and complications,intensive care unit(ICU)transfer rate and case fatality rate in two groups were observed. Results The time for symptoms improvement of abdominal tenderness(day:1.68±1.01 vs. 3.89±1.07), abdominal distension(day:2.17±1.48 vs. 4.24±3.23),abdominal pain(day:3.12±1.14 vs. 4.94±3.21)and the intestinal recovery of exhaust defecation time(day:3.48±0.92 vs. 5.32±3.30)of SAP patients after treatment in the TCM+EN group were faster significantly than those in the conventional therapy group(all P<0.05). The length of stay in hospital(day:15.50±1.75 vs. 19.35±1.69)and total cost(wan yuan:1.812±0.424 vs. 3.292±1.081) of TCM+EN group were less than those of conventional therapy group(P<0.05 or P<0.01). After treatment,the levels of serum CRP,AST,LDH,AMY,APACHEⅡscore in TCM+EN group and conventional therapy group were all lower than those before treatment,and on day 10,the degree of descent was more prominent in TCM+EN group〔CRP(mg/L):98.972±43.384 vs. 122.392±71.621,AST(U/L):75.952±55.668 vs. 126.391±47.431, LDH (μmol?s-1?L-1):1.48±0.21 vs. 2.61±1.46,AMY(U/L):146.362±58.792 vs. 226.392±37.692,APACHE Ⅱscores:6.978±3.352 vs. 13.652±7.621,P<0.05 or P<0.01〕. There was no death in TCM+EN group,while in the conventional therapy group,there was 1 case dead. ICU transfer rate in TCM+EN group was less than that in the conventional therapy group(2.78% vs. 11.76%),but there was no statistical significant difference between the two groups(χ2=0.99,P>0.05). Among the 70 patients with SAP,the cause of the disease due to gallstone accounted for 55.72%,hyperlipidemia for 37.14%,alcoholic for 4.28%and other 2.86%. Conclusion The use of TCM combined with early EN for treatment of patients with SAP can enhance the curative effect of SAP,reduce the hospitalization time and the total cost of patients,and decrease complications and mortality,that is conducive to the faster recovery of patients.