The medical records of 87 patients with thyroid nodule treated from May 1992 to February 1996 were retrospectively reviewed to assess complication with age, sex, pathologic classification, location of lesions, and surgical procedures. The overall rate of complication were observed 10(11.5%) in thyroid surgery. The most common complication was transient hypoparathyroidism, which occurred in 6(6.9%) of 87 patients. The 2(2.3%) patients experienced Permanent hypoparathyroidism and each 1(1.1%) patient was reported in transient recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis and hematoma.. Well-performed thyroid surgery usually produces few complications. More extensive resections, involving bilateral thyroidectomy are associated with a higher incidence of postoperative morbidity, in particular vocal cord paralysis and hypoparathyroidism, than procedures that consist essentially of unilateral thyroidectomy. Our experience suggests that the postoperative complication relates primarily to the surgical procedure. The low incidence of permanent complications in thyroid surgery suggests the feasibility of total thyroidectomy as the operation of choice when thyroid nodules were malignant and surgeons are familiar with the technique and indications.