Review for 10.1186/s12876-021-01969-1 (2021)

Reviewer’s report
Title: 
Surgical Outcomes of LigaSure Hemorrhoidectomy in the Elderly
Population: A retrospective cohort study
Version: 
0 
Date: 
31 Mar 2021
Reviewer: 
Iacopo Giani
Reviewer's report:
Dear authors, I would like to congratulate you on the great case history, for the
large amount of data and for the excellent statistical analysis.
However, I must point out some biases that in my opinion make the work not
publishable as it is thought and written.
I think it might be much more interesting to stratify patients based on
comorbidities rather than age. It is easy to deduce this from the result of the
analysis carried out which does not highlight differences between young and old.
Another problem resides in the number of wounds performed in each patient and
not reported: in the chapter on materials and methods it is argued that 3 excisions
were normally conducted but the difference in clinical impact between 1, 2 or 3
wounds is known.
Unfortunately, these considerations of mine make the work difficult to publish at
the moment.
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Is the study design appropriate to answer the research question (including the use
of appropriate controls), and are the conclusions supported by the evidence
presented?
No
Are the methods sufficiently described to allow the study to be repeated?
No
Is the use of statistics and treatment of uncertainties appropriate?
Yes
Is the presentation of the work clear?
No
Are the images in this manuscript (including electrophoretic gels and blots) free
from apparent manipulation?
No