Review for 10.1186/s12876-022-02162-8 (2022)

Reviewer’s report
Title: 
Endoscopic ultrasound avoids adverse events in high probability
choledocholithiasis patients with a negative computed tomography
Version: 
0 
Date: 
11 Oct 2021
Reviewer's report:
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1) For the baseline characeteristics, I suggest the author should add the
information about the stone size, CBD diameter, the presence of GB stones,
naive papillae or the history of ERCP before between two group in Table 1.
Besides, the aim of this study put the great emphasis on the adverse events.
Therefore, author should add procedure-related information, like the percentage
of difficult cannulation, pancreatic duct injection, pancreatic duct stenting, the
use of pre-cutting/EPBD/EPLBD, mechanical lithotripsy in the Table 1.
2) 6 patients in the EUS-first group developed recurrent choledocholithiasis
during 3-month follow-up and author did not describe how many percentage of
these patients received ERCP or only EUS study before? Having any possibility
of false negative result for those patients who received EUS first without
identifying the presence of stones? In the section of method, authors should
mentioned more detailed about which diagnostic modality was the gold standard
for choledocholithiasis. 
3) I suggest author to summarize the detailed recurrent complication, such as
recurrent stones, cholangitis or acute cholecystitis between two groups in Table
3.
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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?
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