Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of high-frequency electrotomy combined with argon plasma coagulation (APC) under gastroscopy in the treatment of gastrointestinal polyps, as well as its impact on postoperative recovery of gastrointestinal function and inflammatory factor levels in patients. Methods This study employed a retrospective cohort design. Eighty one eligible patients with gastrointestinal polyps admitted between January and December 2024 were selected and divided into two groups based on the actual surgical protocol they received: Group A (n=39) underwent high-frequency electrotomy under gastroscopy alone, and Group B (n=42) underwent high-frequency electrotomy combined with APC under gastroscopy. The clinical efficacy, surgery-related indicators (operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay), postoperative gastrointestinal function recovery indicators (time to first flatus, time to bowel sound recovery, and time to first defecation), serum inflammatory factor levels (interleukin [IL]-6, C-reactive protein [CRP], and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) measured preoperatively and 14 days postoperatively, and the incidence of complications were compared between the two groups. Results The total effective rate was higher in Group B than in Group A (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in operation time between the two groups (P>0.05), but intraoperative blood loss was less and the length of hospital stay was shorter in Group B compared to Group A (all P<0.05); the postoperative time to first flatus, time to bowel sound recovery, and time to first defecation were shorter in Group B than in Group A (all P<0.05). Fourteen days postoperatively, serum levels of IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α increased in both groups (all P<0.05), but the levels of the above inflammatory factors were lower in Group B than in Group A (all P<0.05). The complication rate was lower in Group B than in Group A, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion high-frequency electrotomy combined with APC under gastroscopy can significantly improve clinical efficacy, promote early postoperative recovery of gastrointestinal function, effectively alleviate systemic inflammatory response, and shorten the length of hospital stay in the treatment of gastrointestinal polyps.