Background: The aim of the study is to analyse the factors related to permanent surgical complications in children and adolescents with papillary thyroid carcinoma treated by total thyroidectomy with central and bilateral neck dissections.

Methods: Children and adolescents aged ≤18-year-old at presentation with papillary thyroid carcinoma during the years 1988–2010 underwent thyroid and lymph-node surgeries (with a median follow-up of 19.6 years) were analysed for post-surgical complications.

Results: Permanent surgical morbidity occurred in 14% (n = 70) of patients who underwent total thyroidectomy as well as bilateral central and lateral neck dissections (n = 509). Factors associated with permanent complications included pN1 with extra-nodal extension, > 4 metastatic lymph nodes in the central neck compartment, presence of distant metastases and younger age of patients at surgery. Patients who received extensive surgery had better relapse-free survival rates (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Total thyroidectomy and bilateral central as well as lateral neck dissections for children and adolescents with papillary thyroid carcinoma was associated with substantial postoperative complications. Nevertheless, it is associated with better prognosis for young patients with thyroid cancer. Prophylactic compartment-oriented lymph node dissections to these patients could be the management protocol in experienced hands.