Thirty nine Birmingham Resurfacing Hip Replacements were inserted between March 1999 and December 2000. The very early results are very satisfactory in a high demand group of patients.

Because of the relative ease of revision the implants have a role as a “pre” total hip replacement. The also have an important role in cases such as osteopetrosis and previous femoral osteotomy were an intra medullary stem is difficult. The series includes two cases of arthrodesis take down.

Complications have included one dislocation in a patient with cerebral palsy and one intra operative fractured neck of femur.

However, the early studies suggest that the large metal on metal bearing does produce serum chrome and cobalt levels which may be elevated in comparison with Metasul bearings at one year. The clinical significance of this is unknown.