Introduction: This implant seemed to overcome the failings of previous designs having a ceramic bearing attached to a titanium positional screw in the metaphyseal bone and an apatite-coated ceramic-bone interface to enhance secondary stability. On the basis of encouraging early results reported from Germany, Orthosonics Ltd. marketed the implant in the UK from June 1999. Following problems with the device (withdrawn August 2000), we have conducted a survey with Orthosonics Ltd. and the Medical Devices Agency (MDA). Results: In total 160 implants were implanted by 46 surgeons, all of whom were surveyed. We received replies from 33 surgeons representing 119 patients. At 1 year following implantation, 93 implants had a successful reported outcome but 17 implants had failed and had been revised. The commonest reported mode of failure was aseptic loosening. A further 6/119 (5%) implants were radiologically loose and clinically symptomatic, but had not been revised. 3/119 (2.5%) implants were radiologically loose but remained clinically satisfactory at the time of the survey. Conclusions: A failure rate of 14% (and further 5% symptomatically loose) at 1 year is unacceptable. Products of this type should only be widely introduced following prospective, randomised-controlled trials in appropriately selected centres.