BACKGROUND: Dupuytren's contractures are fibrous cords under the skin of the 
palm of the hand. The contractures are painless but cause one or more fingers to 
curl into the palm, resulting in loss of function. Standard treatment within the 
NHS is surgery to remove (fasciectomy) or divide (fasciotomy) the contractures, 
and the treatment offered is frequently determined by surgeon preference. This 
study aims to determine the feasibility of conducting a large, multicentre 
randomised controlled trial to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of 
needle fasciotomy versus limited fasciectomy for the treatment of Dupuytren's 
contracture.
METHODS/DESIGN: HAND-1 is a parallel, two-arm, multicentre, randomised 
feasibility trial. Eligible patients aged 18 years or over who have one or more 
fingers with a Dupuytren's contracture of more than 30° in the 
metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and/or proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints, 
well-defined cord(s) causing contracture, and have not undergone previous 
surgery for Dupuytren's on the same hand will be randomised (1:1) to treatment 
with either needle fasciotomy or limited fasciectomy. Participants will be 
followed-up for up to 6 months post surgery. Feasibility outcomes include number 
of patients screened, consented and randomised, adherence with treatment, 
completion of follow-up and identification of an appropriate patient-reported 
outcome measure (PROM) to use as primary outcome for a main trial. Embedded 
qualitative research, incorporating a QuinteT Recruitment Intervention, will 
focus on understanding and optimising the recruitment process, and exploring 
patients' experiences of trial participation and the interventions.
DISCUSSION: This study will assess whether a large multicentre trial comparing 
the clinical and cost-effectiveness of needle fasciotomy and limited fasciectomy 
for the treatment of Dupuytren's contractures is feasible, and if so will 
provide data to inform its design and successful conduct.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Registered Clinical/soCial sTudy 
Number: ISRCTN11164292 . Registered on 28 August 2015.