Surgical resection remains the most effective treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma at pres⁃ ent，and it is crucial to make the optimal extent of lymph node dissection as well as to reduce the incidence of sur⁃ gical complications. Carbon nanoparticles have played an important role as a new generation developer in protecting parathyroid glands and tracing lymph nodes during papillary thyroid carcinoma surgery. Many studies have been reported in recent years，but the application value of carbon nanoparticles has not been definitely confirmed. In this review，the application progress of carbon nanoparticles in papillary thyroid carcinoma surgery is summarized to provide further reference for optimizing surgical treatment strategies.