Reviewer's report 
 Fecopneumothorax and colopleural fistula - uncommon complications of Crohn's disease Title: 
 3  21 April 2006 Version: Date: 
 lena sonja liebl Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
This is a well described interesting case, providing information of a rare complication of 
Crohn`s disease. 
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Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be reached) 
The authors should extend their discussion with regard to the treatment of the fecopneumothorax. It seems 
to be possible that a thoracoscopic decortication would have been beneficial to the patient who is likely to develop pleural fibrosis after fecal pleuritis. The further course of the treatment at the institute of lung diseases and the follow up is mentioned in the discussion, but lacking in the case report. The authors 
should explain the reasons for the use of Barium instead of water soluble contrast agent in suspicion of a 
fistula, since this is known to be contraindicated. Furthermore it would be interesting to know if there had 
been an alternative to total Colectomy with Brooke Ileostomy. Whereas total Proctocolectomy is the standard procedure for ulcerative colitis this is not true for M. Crohn. What were the reasons for this 
decision? 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author 
can be trusted to correct) 
Minor errors in language eg missing articles can be found. 
Legends to the figures are missing. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the major What next?: 
compulsory revisions 
 An article whose findings are important to those with closely related research interests Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests 
Reviewer's report 
 Fecopneumothorax and colopleural fistula - uncommon complications of Crohn's disease Title: 
 3  21 April 2006 Version: Date: 
 lena sonja liebl Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
This is a well described interesting case, providing information of a rare complication of 
Crohn`s disease. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be reached) 
The authors should extend their discussion with regard to the treatment of the fecopneumothorax. It seems 
to be possible that a thoracoscopic decortication would have been beneficial to the patient who is likely to develop pleural fibrosis after fecal pleuritis. The further course of the treatment at the institute of lung diseases and the follow up is mentioned in the discussion, but lacking in the case report. The authors 
should explain the reasons for the use of Barium instead of water soluble contrast agent in suspicion of a 
fistula, since this is known to be contraindicated. Furthermore it would be interesting to know if there had 
been an alternative to total Colectomy with Brooke Ileostomy. Whereas total Proctocolectomy is the standard procedure for ulcerative colitis this is not true for M. Crohn. What were the reasons for this 
decision? 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author 
can be trusted to correct) 
Minor errors in language eg missing articles can be found. 
Legends to the figures are missing. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the major What next?: 
compulsory revisions 
 An article whose findings are important to those with closely related research interests Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 Fecopneumothorax and colopleural fistula - uncommon complications of Crohn's disease Title: 
 3  21 April 2006 Version: Date: 
 lena sonja liebl Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
This is a well described interesting case, providing information of a rare complication of 
Crohn`s disease. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be reached) 
The authors should extend their discussion with regard to the treatment of the fecopneumothorax. It seems 
to be possible that a thoracoscopic decortication would have been beneficial to the patient who is likely to develop pleural fibrosis after fecal pleuritis. The further course of the treatment at the institute of lung diseases and the follow up is mentioned in the discussion, but lacking in the case report. The authors 
should explain the reasons for the use of Barium instead of water soluble contrast agent in suspicion of a 
fistula, since this is known to be contraindicated. Furthermore it would be interesting to know if there had 
been an alternative to total Colectomy with Brooke Ileostomy. Whereas total Proctocolectomy is the standard procedure for ulcerative colitis this is not true for M. Crohn. What were the reasons for this 
decision? 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author 
can be trusted to correct) 
Minor errors in language eg missing articles can be found. 
Legends to the figures are missing. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the major What next?: 
compulsory revisions 
 An article whose findings are important to those with closely related research interests Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests 
assistant