Reviewer's report
 Electrolytic Ablation Of The Rat Pancreas: A Feasibility Trial. Title:
Authors:
Beverley G Fosh (foshy@hotmail.com )
Jonathon G Finch (guy@guyfinch.fsnet.co.uk )
Adrian A Anthony (Adrian.Anthony@nwahs.sa.gov.au )
Michael Texler (Michael.Texler@IMVS.sa.gov.au )
Guy J Maddern (guy.maddern@adelaide.edu.au )
 1  19 Jul 2001 Version: Date:
 Dr David Owen Reviewer:
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research interests Level of interest:
 Accept after revision, which I do not need to see Advice on publication:
METHODS: 
The grading system for the histology of the pancreatic lesions is adapted from a paper published by 
Sporman et al (ref 14). More details of this system should be provided so that a reader does not have to 
refer to the original article which was published in 1989. 
RESULTS: 
A more detailed description of the gross appearances of the pancreatic lesions would be interesting. 
Specifically, size and size range, color, texture and circumscription could be documented. 
If possible an illustration of the histology of the necrotic lesions should be provided. Failing this a more 
complete description should be available. DISCUSSION: The lesions produced in these rats were small. Pancreatic tumors in humans are large. The authors 
may care to add a paragraph here detailing their experience with large hepatic tumors to show how the 
technique can accomodate this size of lesion. FIGURES: Figure 3 should ideally contain a size marker. 
Figure 4 is missing a notation on the y axis and possibly also a footnote to indicate that this graph 
relates current to tissue damage. Note that it is possible to interpret this graph as indicating that damage
is maximal at 6 coulomb and that greater amounts of power actually produce less damage!
Competing interests:
None declared.
Reviewer's report
 Electrolytic Ablation Of The Rat Pancreas: A Feasibility Trial. Title:
Authors:
Beverley G Fosh (foshy@hotmail.com )
Jonathon G Finch (guy@guyfinch.fsnet.co.uk )
Adrian A Anthony (Adrian.Anthony@nwahs.sa.gov.au )
Michael Texler (Michael.Texler@IMVS.sa.gov.au )
Guy J Maddern (guy.maddern@adelaide.edu.au )
 1  19 Jul 2001 Version: Date:
 Dr David Owen Reviewer:
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research interests Level of interest:
 Accept after revision, which I do not need to see Advice on publication:
METHODS: 
The grading system for the histology of the pancreatic lesions is adapted from a paper published by 
Sporman et al (ref 14). More details of this system should be provided so that a reader does not have to 
refer to the original article which was published in 1989. 
RESULTS: 
A more detailed description of the gross appearances of the pancreatic lesions would be interesting. 
Specifically, size and size range, color, texture and circumscription could be documented. 
If possible an illustration of the histology of the necrotic lesions should be provided. Failing this a more 
complete description should be available. DISCUSSION: The lesions produced in these rats were small. Pancreatic tumors in humans are large. The authors 
may care to add a paragraph here detailing their experience with large hepatic tumors to show how the 
technique can accomodate this size of lesion. FIGURES: Figure 3 should ideally contain a size marker. 
Figure 4 is missing a notation on the y axis and possibly also a footnote to indicate that this graph 
relates current to tissue damage. Note that it is possible to interpret this graph as indicating that damage
is maximal at 6 coulomb and that greater amounts of power actually produce less damage!
Competing interests:
None declared.
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
 Electrolytic Ablation Of The Rat Pancreas: A Feasibility Trial. Title:
Authors:
Beverley G Fosh (foshy@hotmail.com )
Jonathon G Finch (guy@guyfinch.fsnet.co.uk )
Adrian A Anthony (Adrian.Anthony@nwahs.sa.gov.au )
Michael Texler (Michael.Texler@IMVS.sa.gov.au )
Guy J Maddern (guy.maddern@adelaide.edu.au )
 1  19 Jul 2001 Version: Date:
 Dr David Owen Reviewer:
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research interests Level of interest:
 Accept after revision, which I do not need to see Advice on publication:
METHODS: 
The grading system for the histology of the pancreatic lesions is adapted from a paper published by 
Sporman et al (ref 14). More details of this system should be provided so that a reader does not have to 
refer to the original article which was published in 1989. 
RESULTS: 
A more detailed description of the gross appearances of the pancreatic lesions would be interesting. 
Specifically, size and size range, color, texture and circumscription could be documented. 
If possible an illustration of the histology of the necrotic lesions should be provided. Failing this a more 
complete description should be available. DISCUSSION: The lesions produced in these rats were small. Pancreatic tumors in humans are large. The authors 
may care to add a paragraph here detailing their experience with large hepatic tumors to show how the 
technique can accomodate this size of lesion. FIGURES: Figure 3 should ideally contain a size marker. 
Figure 4 is missing a notation on the y axis and possibly also a footnote to indicate that this graph 
relates current to tissue damage. Note that it is possible to interpret this graph as indicating that damage
is maximal at 6 coulomb and that greater amounts of power actually produce less damage!
Competing interests:
None declared.
assistant