According to operative modalities,128 patients with unilateral benign thyroid disease were divided into hemithyroidectomy group (n =68) and subtotal thyroidectomy group (n =60).The operative duration of hemithyroidectomy group was (63 ± 14) min,intraoperative blood loss (54 ± 15) ml,postoperative drainage volume (64 ± 10) ml and hospitalization stay (5.9 ±0.8) days.The hospital charge of (8 335 ± 278) yuan was less than that of subtotal thyroidectomy group (P ＜ 0.05).The incidence rate of postoperative hoarseness,water bucking,low calcium and hypothyroidism had no significant inter-group difference (P ＞ 0.05).But the postoperative recurrence rate of hemithyroidectomy was significantly lower than that of subtotal thyroidectomy group (P ＜ 0.05).Treating patients of unilateral benign thyroid disease with hemithyroidectomy yield excellent efficacies.It is worthy of wider clinical application.