Dear Colleague and Participant th in Ceramics 2004 . 9 International BIOLOX" Symposium We are proud of the fact that once again we have been able to give you a copy of the proceedingsof this symposium as a part of your registration materials. Thisisa majorachievement that wasonly made possible by the excellent cooperation of the speakers, the publishing house and their staff and the Symposium Administrator and her staff. We would like to thank all of them for their hard work and dedication in meeting the tight deadlinesrequired to make thisa reality. The proceedings of this symposium continue the on-going tradition of providing us with a valuable addition to our reference libraries. We hope that you will be pleased to receive thisbook, since within itscovers.you will find the latestscientific and clinical information regarding the use of ceramics in orthopaedic surgery. This is the first time that the symposium has taken place outside Germany. The reason we chose Paris, France,isobvious.ItisbecauseCeramTec hashad a long and close relationship with the French orthopaedic community and because this community hasbeen an incontestable pioneer in the use of ceramicsin the field of orthopaedics. Forthese reasonsit wasonly fitting to hold the symposiumin the capital city of this much respected country of orthopaedic achievement. CeramTec is pleased that the University Hospital Pitie Solpetriere. our Honorary Presidents Prof. Sedel and Prof. Mittelmeier and our Symposium President, Prof. Lazennec have collaborated with us in the preparation and in the execution of Ceramics 2004 . th 9 International BIOLOX" Symposium.