Surgical Intervention Trials Unit
SITU announces a trio of new trials
SITU-NDORMS has announced the launch of three major new clinical trials. Funded by the NIHR, these studies are providing evidence for the treatment of chronic low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, and ACL injuries.
Read moreWELCOME 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
Trial shows that suture repair fails to improve digital nerve injury outcomes
11 September 2025
The first ever trial of microsurgical suture repair vs nerve alignment for digital nerve injuries suggests suture repair does not improve outcomes.
FORENSIC-UK opens to recruitment
10 September 2025
The GEKO study opens to recruitment
4 September 2025
Surgery to treat chronic sinus disease more effective than antibiotics
29 August 2025
Sinus surgery is more effective than antibiotics at treating chronic rhinosinusitis, according to a major clinical trial led by UCL, coordinated by the Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit (OCTRU) and Surgical Intervention Trials Unit (SITU) at NDORMS, in collaboration with researchers across the UK.
The ACL STARR study opens to recruitment
2 July 2025
SITU announces a trio of new trials
18 June 2024
SITU-NDORMS has announced the launch of three major new clinical trials. Funded by the NIHR, these studies are providing evidence for the treatment of chronic low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, and ACL injuries.
Selected publications
Comparison of surgical or non-surgical management for non-acute anterior cruciate ligament injury: the ACL SNNAP RCT.
Beard DJ. et al, (2024), Health technol assess, 28, 1 - 97
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
Efficacy of liposomal bupivacaine and bupivacaine hydrochloride vs bupivacaine hydrochloride alone as a periarticular anesthetic for patients undergoing knee replacement
Hamilton T. et al, (2022), Jama surgery, 157, 481 - 489
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
