Objective:To investigate the impact of early removal of nasogastric tubes on functional recovery after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer patients, to provide scientific evidence for enhanced recovery after surgery strategies in gastric cancer.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 102 gastric cancer patients who underwent total gastrectomy at Beijing Friendship Hospital affiliated with the Capital Medical University from March 2018 to July 2022. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether the gastric tube was removed within 24 hours post-operation: the early removal group (within 24 hours, 55 patients) and the non-early removal group (beyond 24 hours, 47 patients). The recovery outcomes, including time to first flatus, time to fluid intake, length of hospital stay, and the incidence of postoperative complications, were compared between the two groups. Non-normally distributed data were expressed as M( Q1, Q3) and compared using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Categorical data were expressed as frequencies or percentages and compared using the chi-square test or Fisher′s exact test. To minimize the impact of potential confounders, multivariable linear regression and logistic regression analyses adjusted for propensity scores were further employed to compare quantitative and qualitative data between the groups. Statistical analyses were performed using R software. Results:The exhaust time, water intake time, and hospital stay in the early removal group were 3.0(2.0, 3.5) days, 4.0(3.0, 5.0) days, and 7.0(7.0, 8.0) days, respectively, while those in the non-early removal group were 4.0(3.0, 5.0) days, 6.0(5.0, 7.0) days, and 8.0(7.5, 11.0) days, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups ( P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups (5.45% vs 17.02%, P=0.060). Propensity score-adjusted regression analysis suggested that early tube removal might reduce the risk of postoperative complications ( P=0.042). Conclusion:Early removal of nasogastric tubes can significantly accelerate functional recovery after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer patients and may reduce the risk of postoperative complications, providing important clinical guidance for enhanced recovery after surgery management in gastric cancer.