Ninety-nine per cent of the arthroplasties available for follow-up after a minimum of 5 years were assessed clinically and radiologically. Of the original 151 hips, 14 had been reoperated on with exchange of the femoral components because of aseptic loosening. Thirty-one of the 115 re-examined hips showed radiological evidence of femoral component loosening and in 15 hips loosening was suspected. One acetabular component was loose. No deep infection was detected. In 10 of the 31 hips with femoral stem loosening, no complication was suspected after clinical examination only. Varus position of the prosthesis and insufficient cement support at the proximal and distal parts of the stem were associated with increased loosening rates. In patients with a body-weight over 80 kg and in patients younger than 60 years at the operation, loosening had occurred in over 50 per cent of the hips. The clinical overall results were satisfactory, with 79 per cent of the hips being free from significant pain.