Step-by-Step Dissection of the Mediastinum: A Training Protocol

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Thank you for the review opportunity. I consider the authors' efforts to be very important. However, I did not perceive any difference from the medical students' anatomy training. It would be more meaningful if it is contrasted with CT or other images, or if it is done in a way that simulates actual surgery.

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Reviewer 2 Report

This paper covers the mediastinal dissection using an anatomical model. It is fluently written, covers all aspects, and is of timely importance. It certainly merits a publication.

I have only one concern: I agree entirely that anatomy is the basis for a better surgical understanding. However, this paper tends to illuminate the anatomical and less the surgical side, e.g., sternotomy is rarely performed to reach the mediastinum in a living human. The exposure is different,…

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Reviewer 3 Report

Dear Editor and dear Authors

 I read this interesting article by Verzelletti et al. where authors defined a precise and reproducible protocol including the main steps guiding mediastinal dissection, step-by-step.

I have rarely found such a well written article, so I have no big comments to do.

I ‘d like to congratulate with all authors for this valuable work in form, content that may be considered a priceless tool for all young surgeons (as well as all physicians or students) who face off the mediastinum for the first time.

I would like just to suggest to enrich the text with several bullet points list to make the step by step dissection more schematic and easy to memorize

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