After total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid cancer, the recurrence rate is usually relatively low, but there is still a certain chance of recurrence. Papillary thyroid cancer belongs to differentiated thyroid cancer, which is a relatively common type of thyroid cancer. It is most common in adults and children, and its malignant degree is low. Although lymph node metastasis may occur in the early stage, the prognosis is good. If papillary thyroid cancer is detected early and surgery is performed at an early stage, most patients can be cured. However, when surgical resection is incomplete, lymph node dissection is incomplete, and follow-up treatments such as postoperative iodine 131 treatment are incomplete, papillary thyroid cancer may still recur. Therefore, regular postoperative checkups are still needed. Patients with papillary thyroid cancer should take thyroxine tablets or levothyroxine for life after the surgery of total thyroidectomy to prevent hypothyroidism as well as recurrence of cancer.