OBJECTIVE To study whether early postoperative enteral nutrition reduces the incidence of complications and/or improves nutritional status following duodenohemipancreatectomy (DHP). METHODS We studied 39 patients who underwent DHP for a peri-ampullary mass. Twenty-three patients received total parental nutrition and then started to have an oral intake of nutrition between postoperative day (POD) 7 and 14 [late postoperative enteral nutrition (LPEN) group]. Sixteen patients started to have enteral feeding through a jejunostomy catheter the day after the operation [early postoperative enteral nutrition (EPEN) group]. The incidence of complications and laboratory data at the early postoperative stage were studied in comparison between LPEN and EPEN groups. RESULTS Serum levels of albumin and total protein in the EPEN group were significantly higher than those in the LPEN group. The loss of body mass index was significantly suppressed in the EPEN group as compared to the LPEN group. The lymphocyte count decreased immediately after the operation was restored significantly faster in the EPEN group than in the LPEN group. The EPEN group showed significantly fewer incidences of postoperative pancreatic fistulas, as well as a significantly shorter length of hospitalization than the LPEN group. There were no significant differences in the incidences of other postoperative complications between the two groups, such as delayed gastric emptying, surgical site infection, cholangitis, and small bowel obstruction. CONCLUSIONS EPEN is a safe and beneficial opportunity for patients who have undergone DHP for a peri-ampullary mass.