Studies in the literature that evaluate body image and cosmesis in thyroid surgery using standardized methods are scarce. In our department, the results of a questionnaire showed that the MI approach has no advantage for body image and cosmesis over the CO approach. Further prospective randomized studies using different tools with a larger sample size are needed to investigate the use of MI procedures for thyroid surgery.

We describe a fatal case of psittacosis in a pet shop worker in Slovakia, who probably contracted the disease from exotic birds. The patient showed first symptoms in December 2005 and died in January 2006 of irreversible shock and multi-organ failure.