Objective To investigate the risk factors related with the recurrence of multifocal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC).Methods The data of 126 patients undergoing surgery from Jan.2001 to Jun.2011 proved to be multifocal PTMC by pathology were rctrospcctively analyzed.Logistic multifactor regression analysis was used to analyze the clinicopathological factors that may influence the recurrence of PTMC.Results The median age of the 126 patients was 46 years(ranging from 15 to 78 years old).The recurrence rate was 14.3％ (18/126) and the overall survival rate was 98.4％ with the medium follow-up of 75 months (ranging from 24 to 150 months).Multivariate analysis showed that extra-thyoidal extension,neck lymph node metastasis and non-total(or near total)thyroidectomy were the independent risk factors for the recurrence of multifocal PTMC (P =0.008,0.027,0.022 respectively).Conclusions Extension beyond the thyroid and metastatic neck lymph node predict a high risk of recurrence.Total or near total thyroidectomy can reduce the risk of recurrence.