The causes of dyspnoea after thyroid surgery can be explained in two ways. Firstly, dyspnoea is caused by the patient’s own tracheal pathology, such as tracheospasm, tracheal softening or tracheal collapse. Secondly, excessive squeezing during surgery or rougher movements or excessive pulling by the operator can also cause spasmodic constriction of the trachea, which in turn can cause dyspnoea.