Objective To evaluate the effect of low dose s ⁃ketamine on response to tracheal tube cough during recovery period from anesthesia after thyroidectomy. Methods Sixty ⁃ six patients aged 18～65 years，21 males and 45 females，with BMI 18～25 kg/m2，ASAⅠ⁃Ⅱ，for selective thyroidectomy under intravenous general anesthesia from December 2020 to March 2021，were randomly divided into group S（n = 33）and group C（n = 33）. At 30 min before the end of operation，Group S was injected with 0.25 mg/kg s⁃ketamine intravenously，and group C was administered by intravenous injection with constant volume saline. The two groups were compared in terms of the incidence and severity of coughing during the recovery period from general anesthesia，anesthesia recovery profiles，hemodynamic changes during extubation and volume of drainage at the first day and the second day after surgery. Results Compared with group C，the incidence and grade of coughing were significantly decreased during the recovery period from anesthesia in group S（P < 0.05），the drainage′ volume at the first day and the second day after surgery in group S was significantly less than that in group C. The mean arterial pressure and heart rate in group S during recovery period from anesthesia were significantly lower than those in group C（P < 0.05）. Compared with group C，the changes in the eye⁃opening time and extubation time of group S were not obvious. Conclusion Low dose s ⁃ ketamine can significantly reduce the incidence of coughing and postoperative blood loss in patients with thyroidectomy during anesthesia recovery，even free from severe complications.