ReCerf Hip Resurfacing Birmingham

What it is

A Ceramic Cap on a Proven Geometry

ReCerf is the all-ceramic hip resurfacing system that MatOrtho developed on the foundations of the proven Adept geometry. The femoral component is a press-fit BIOLOX delta cap that reshapes and covers the worn surface of the femoral head. The acetabular component is a BIOLOX delta ceramic insert seated within an HA-coated titanium cup that achieves biological fixation in bone. The bearing surfaces, where the cap and cup articulate, are both ceramic.

ReCerf ceramic-on-ceramic hip resurfacing implant by MatOrtho, photographed on a navy background

The ReCerf femoral cap and acetabular component, photographed against the same navy background used on the home page hero.

BIOLOX delta is a zirconia-toughened alumina composite. As a bearing surface, it produces some of the lowest wear of any artificial joint, and crucially it releases no cobalt or chromium. The clinical implications are direct. Patients with a ReCerf do not require the lifelong metal-ion surveillance that comes with metal-on-metal implants. The bearing question that defined the metal-on-metal era is, for this system, resolved.

Key facts

Bearing: Ceramic-on-ceramic (BIOLOX delta)
Manufacturer: MatOrtho (Leatherhead, UK)
First implanted: 2018
CE mark: 2024

Who it suits

The Default Bearing for Most Resurfacing Candidates

For the majority of patients suitable for hip resurfacing today, ReCerf is the default bearing in clinic. The ceramic chemistry removes the surveillance burden of metal-on-metal, the wear data is excellent, and the geometry is the well-understood Adept architecture, which is the longest-running family in modern resurfacing.

Indicated for

Men and women with end-stage hip osteoarthritis suitable for bone-preserving surgery.
Active lifestyles with a wish to return to higher-impact activities.
Patients of child-bearing potential, for whom metal-on-metal is not an option.
Younger patients in whom decades of low-wear bearing performance matter most.
Patients who prefer not to commit to lifelong metal-ion surveillance.

Not appropriate for

Osteoporotic, cystic or otherwise compromised femoral head bone, where avascular necrosis risk is elevated for any resurfacing.
Patients in whom hip arthroplasty of any kind is contraindicated, on the basis of active infection, severe deformity or general medical considerations.

The contrast with the metal-on-metal era is important. Sex, age and concerns about future pregnancy, which historically pushed many patients away from resurfacing entirely, no longer carry the same weight. With ReCerf, the conversation is about anatomy and activity, not about the bearing chemistry.

Track record

From First Implant to Five-Year Outcomes

ReCerf was first implanted in 2018 and received its CE mark in 2024 following the accumulation of multicentre outcomes evidence. The decision to gather meaningful clinical data before broad commercial release is one of the things that distinguishes the ceramic era from the metal-on-metal era; it is also one of the reasons patients can be confident in the bearing as it sits in 2026.

Published outcomes

Multicentre two-year results were published in 2024 and five-year results in 2025. Both report low revision rates, high patient-reported outcome scores and a complications profile that compares favourably with conventional hip arthroplasty at matched follow-up. The published cohorts include around 600 patients across international centres, with a substantial proportion of female patients, which is one of the most clinically meaningful changes the ceramic era has brought.

What is still ahead

The ten- and fifteen-year endpoints, which ODEP ratings are anchored to, will accrue in the years ahead. The trajectory of the current data is encouraging; what remains is for time to confirm it. For patients who value the longest documented track record above all, Adept retains the longer registry record. For patients who prioritise the bearing chemistry, ReCerf is the considered choice.

In the choice

Where ReCerf Sits Alongside Adept and H1

ReCerf is the ceramic-on-ceramic resurfacing offered here, and for most patients it is the right choice. It pairs the ceramic bearing chemistry that resolves the metal-on-metal concerns with the geometry of the longest-running modern resurfacing family, and it suits patients across the range of native head sizes. Where the patient could equally have a metal-on-metal bearing, ReCerf is the more cautious modern choice; H1 is a newer ceramic option in the field. The conversation in clinic settles the bearing.

Metal-on-metal

Adept

The metal-on-metal predecessor to ReCerf, with the longest mainstream registry record. Offered today for active men with larger native heads.

Adept detail →

Ceramic-on-ceramic

H1

The British ceramic resurfacing developed at Imperial College London and made by Embody. A newer ceramic option in the field.

H1 detail →

Questions

Questions Patients Ask About ReCerf

What does ceramic-on-ceramic mean for me as a patient?

Ceramic-on-ceramic means the bearing surfaces of the implant are made from medical-grade ceramic rather than cobalt-chromium alloy. The practical consequences are concrete: no cobalt or chromium ions are released into the joint or the bloodstream, so the surveillance burden that comes with metal-on-metal does not apply; the wear rate is among the lowest of any artificial joint surface; and the bearing is suitable for a much wider patient profile, including women and patients with smaller native head sizes.

How long has ReCerf been in clinical use?

ReCerf was first implanted in 2018 and gained its CE mark in 2024. The international implant cohort now exceeds 600 patients across multiple centres, with peer-reviewed two-year and five-year outcomes published in 2024 and 2025. By the standards of a new ceramic resurfacing system, this is a strong evidence base, though shorter than the registry history available for Adept.

What outcomes data exists for ReCerf?

Multicentre two-year results were published in 2024 and five-year results in 2025, both reporting low revision rates and high patient-reported outcome scores. The published cohorts include a substantial proportion of female patients, which is one of the most clinically meaningful changes ceramic resurfacing has brought. Long-term ten- and fifteen-year data will accrue in the coming years; the current trajectory is encouraging.

Can a ceramic implant chip, crack or shatter?

BIOLOX delta is a zirconia-toughened alumina composite engineered for joint replacement; it is far stronger than the early-generation ceramics that gave the technology its historical reputation for fracture. Bearing fracture in modern hip arthroplasty is a rare event, measured in fractions of a percent over long follow-up. In a hip resurfacing, where the ceramic cap is supported by underlying bone, the risk is correspondingly low. It is not zero, and is part of any honest consent conversation.

Is ReCerf suitable for women?

Yes. The ceramic bearing removes the cobalt and chromium concerns that drove the historic restriction on metal-on-metal resurfacing in women, and the published outcomes cohort for ReCerf includes a substantial proportion of female patients. A dedicated page covers hip resurfacing for women in detail, including how the conversation differs between ReCerf and H1 for individual anatomy.

Next Step

Discuss ReCerf in Clinic

A private consultation with weight-bearing imaging is the most useful next step. We will talk through anatomy, activity and bearing choice, and tell you, on your own hip, whether ReCerf is the right answer.

Book a Consultation