Surgical Intervention Trials Unit
Going straight to surgery found to be better than undergoing rehabilitation first for longstanding anterior cruciate ligament injury
New research, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), shows initial surgery to be more successful and cost effective than undergoing treatment with rehabilitation first to treat longstanding anterior cruciate ligament injury.
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WELCOME TO THE SURGICAL INTERVENTION TRIALS UNIT (SITU NDORMS)
SITU is one of eight Royal College of Surgeons of England specialist trials centres dedicated to evaluating surgical intervention, mainly by generating randomised control trial evidence. We are a multidisciplinary team who provide, guidance, training and support for the development of new surgical trials and future trialists. We draw upon the considerable methodological and practical trials expertise in Oxford including statistical, ethical, health economic, systematic review, clinical network resources and the IDEAL collaboration.
Currently, less than 5% of government funding for medical research goes into surgery
ABOUT
We are a centre of excellence in surgical trials, answering important global surgical questions.
RESEARCH
Read about our research and collaborations in the medical and healthcare research community.
TEAM
Meet our multidisciplinary team of worldwide experts in surgical trials.
Latest news
Justin Wormald wins NIHR awards and takes up position as SITU Deputy Director
17 April 2024
NDORMS alumnus Justin Wormald has been awarded an NIHR Academic Clinical Lectureship and an NIHR Development and Skills Enhancement (DSE) Award, as well as being appointed as Deputy Director of the Surgical Trials Intervention Unit (SITU-NDORMS).
ROBUST Study Opens to Recruitment
5 January 2024
SpInOuT-F Study Published
22 August 2023
New approach to nail bed injury surgery could significantly cut NHS costs
30 March 2023
According to a new Oxford study, changing clinical practice for finger injuries in children could save the NHS £720,000 per year.
OCTRU - delivering answers to important clinical questions
7 March 2023
The Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit (OCTRU) has received NIHR benchmarking results and offers excellent value for money according to the report
Three NIHR HTA grants awarded to Professor Tim Theologis
4 October 2022
Congratulations to Professor Tim Theologis, who has been awarded three NIHR HTA grants to extend research in orthopaedic disorders in children.
Selected publications
Cost-effectiveness analysis of a pragmatic randomized trial evaluating surgical reconstruction versus rehabilitation in patients with long-standing anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Leal J. et al, (2024), Bone joint j, 106-B, 38 - 45
Effectiveness of nail bed repair in children with or without replacing the fingernail: NINJA multicentre randomized clinical trial.
Jain A. et al, (2023), Br j surg, 110, 432 - 438
Item response theory may account for unequal item weighting and individual-level measurement error in trials that use PROMs: a psychometric sensitivity analysis of the TOPKAT trial.
Harrison CJ. et al, (2023), J clin epidemiol, 158, 62 - 69
Rehabilitation versus surgical reconstruction for non-acute anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL SNNAP): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.
Beard DJ. et al, (2022), Lancet, 400, 605 - 615
Placebo comparator group selection and use in surgical trials: the ASPIRE project including expert workshop.
Beard DJ. et al, (2021), Health technol assess, 25, 1 - 52
Considerations and Methods for Placebo Controls in Surgical Trials: State of the Art Review and ASPIRE Guidance
BEARD DJ. et al, (2019), The lancet
