The medical records of 29 patients with recurrent thyroid papillary carcinoma treated(1991-1993) were reviewed retrospectively. The male to female ratio was 1 : 1.07 and 16 cases were recurred in 2 years after first treatment and 4 cases over 5 years. The first treatment were lobectomy in 20 cases and among them, 13 cases revealed local recurrences, 14 cases presented lateral neck nodal recurrences and 4 had distant metastasis to lung and bone. Reoperations were done in all 29 patients. Radioacitve iodine therapy was added in all patients. Some postoperative complications were developed, but managed successfully. In our opinion, reoperation procedures in recurrent thyroid papillary carcinomas were more complicated than first operation, but could be done with acceptable complications and more strict procedures to eradicate all gross tumors are needed in treatment of thyroid papillary carcinoma.