There are lots of terms and acronyms used in medicine and clinical trials. Below are some that you may hear in relation to this study.
Blinding - This means that trial participants do not know which treatment they have received. In NEON, researchers assessing patient's recovery will also not know which treatment participants have received. This will help to compare the two treatments with less bias.
CI - Chief Investigator; the person who has designed, conducts, and is responsible for reporting the study.
CRF - Case Report Form; documents used in a trial to collect data from patients.
CTU - Clinical Trials Unit; a specialist unit that has been set up specifically to design, conduct, analyse, and publish clinical trials and studies.
Digital nerves - nerves found in the fingers.
DMC - Data Monitoring Committee; an independent group of experts who monitor patient safety and treatment efficacy data while a clinical trial is ongoing, and can recommend the continuation or termination of a trial.
Economic analysis - Analysis of the costs of the trial treatments and of living with the condition being studied, so that cost-effectiveness of treatments can be assessed.
GCP - Good Clinical Practice; the international ethical, scientific, and practical standard to which all clinical research is conducted.
Microsurgical - Surgical practices requiring an operating microscope.
NDORMS - Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences; a multi-disciplinary research department within the University of Oxford that aims to discover the causes of musculoskeletal and inflammatory conditions to deliver excellent and innovative care.
Neuroma - A benign growth of nerve tissue, that can cause pain, tingling, or numbness. It is sometimes referred to as a "pinched nerve". This is sometimes a complication of digital nerve injury
Neurosensory - Refers to the sensory function of the nerve.
NIHR - National Institute for Health Research; this study's funder.
OCTRU - Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit
PI - Principal Investigator; the person delegated responsible for the leadership and conduct of a research study at their hospital site.
PPI - Patient and Public Involvement; a PPI Representative usually is someone who has had either personal experience of the health condition being studied, or a member of the public not involved with the trial design, who gives advice to the trial teamd and provides a different perspective.
Protocol - A document that describes how a clinical trial will be conducted, and ensures the safety of the trial subjects and integrity of the data collected.
Randomisation - A process of allocating patients to the different treatment arms we are assessing in this study. It is the best way of ensuring that the results of trials are not biased by the way participants are selected.
SITU - Surgical Intervention Trials Unit
Sponsor - An individual, company, institution, or organisation which takes responsibility for the initiation, management and/or financing of a clinical trial.The Sponsor for NEON is the University of Oxford.
Sutures - Stitches used to close wounds or surgical incisions.
TMG - Trial Management Group; this includes individuals responsible for day-to-day management of the trial, and to monitor all aspects of the conduct and progress of the trial.
TSC - Trial Steering Committee; this is to provide the overall supervision of the trial, the members of which should be independent of investigators, funders, and sponsors, and will consider and act on recommendations of the Data Monitoring Committee (DMC).
