Colorectal cancer, which includes colon and rectal cancer, is a common digestive tract tumor. Although surgery is the primary form of treatment, there are a number of drawbacks, including patients experiencing considerable pain and high cost. The present study was undertaken to examine the clinical value of transanal ileal tube placement under X-ray monitoring. Thirty-six cases of left colon obstruction presenting to our hospital between July 2011 and February 2014, underwent transanal ileal tube placement using a single-curve catheter guided by a guidewire under X-ray monitoring. An ileal tube was successfully inserted into 32 patients. Clinical symptoms were alleviated effectively within 48 h. Indwelling catheter decompression time was 4–9 days with an average of 5.61 days. In two cases, the colon guidewire perforated into the abdominal cavity. Repeated exploration resistance of the guidewire and catheter indicated stenosis at this position owing to obstruction. In conclusion, transanal placement of the ileal tube through X-ray monitoring is capable of effectively alleviating the symptoms of ileus. Thus, this constitutes a safe, effective, and economical method that is acceptable to patients.