CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- When arthritis strikes ankle joints, the pain can be disabling.

A surgeon at Doctor's Hospital in Coral Gables is among the first in the country to give patients a new option to get back on their feet.

One patient is feisty John Pantesco, who still works at the age of 80.

"And usually around the middle of the week my ankle is so bad I can't walk on it," Pantesco said.

Dr. Thomas Sangiovanni replaced Pantesco's worn out ankle with a new, shiny model.

"You have an implant that has a metal surface and then a plastic spacer in between, then another metal surface. What it tries to do is match the anatomy of the ankle so that you have gliding motion of the ankle joint without pain," Sangiovanni said.

Replacing an ankle is trickier than other joints and has been problematic in the past.

"Probably in the 70s and early 80s there were replacements that were available and there were a lot of flaws in the design," Sangiovanni said. "People with ankle arthritis have not enjoyed the same success that people with knee arthritis and hip arthritis have had."

One advantage to the new implant is that no bone cement is needed to hold it in place.

"Your own body, your own bone will grow into the implant where there's kind of a beaded surface here," Sangiovanni said.

Also, less bone needs to be removed, which is especially important when working with ankles.

The new implant has only been available in the United States since February. It has a longer track record in Europe.

"Where they have close to eight to 15 years follow up. They've found that there's close to a 90 to 92 percent survival for the ankle being still in," Sangiovanni said.

The procedure is not for patients who participate in high impact sports or those with severe ankle deformities

Pantesco said he couldn't wait to get back on his feet now that his pain has been relieved. He has not been able to put weight on his leg since the surgery.

"It's like being in a cage. I'm a very active person and I've been sitting around for one month doing nothing," Pantesco said.

A full recovery requires patience and perseverance. After wearing a cast for a month or two, patients must undergo physical therapy for another two to three months.