Michael S. Vrana, M.D.

Dr. Michael S. Vrana is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon who has cared for patients in New Braunfels and across South Central Texas since 2012. His practice covers sports injuries, arthroscopic surgery, ACL and ligament reconstruction, and hip, knee, and shoulder replacement, with fracture care and general orthopedics woven throughout.

Before medical school, Dr. Vrana spent eight years as a licensed physical therapist. Alongside routine outpatient physical therapy care, he took on home health PT, traveling across San Antonio and the Hill Country to rehab patients where they lived. Working with patients through the months of recovery that follow an injury or surgery is what eventually drew him back to school, and toward a surgical residency in orthopedics and fellowship training in sports medicine. He started medical school in his thirties, after a career most people would have settled into. That foundation still shapes how he practices. Sports medicine is where the line between surgical and non-surgical care matters most, and a full understanding of rehab is part of doing the job well.

He earned his undergraduate degree in Physical Therapy, summa cum laude, from the University of Texas at San Antonio, practiced as a PT through the late 1990s and early 2000s, and then completed medical school at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. His orthopedic surgery residency was at University Hospital in San Antonio, followed by a sports medicine fellowship with Dr. Jesse DeLee. Subspecialty training included joint replacement with Dr. John Evans, foot and ankle with Dr. Mark Casillas, and shoulder and knee surgery with Dr. Phil Jacobs and Dr. Brad Tolin.

He was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha in medical school and recognized with the Charles A. Rockwood Jr. Outstanding Student Award in Orthopedics and the Best Resident Teaching Award in residency.

Dr. Vrana grew up in Shiner, Texas. He and his wife have two sons. Outside of clinic and the OR, he enjoys hunting, bowling, and spending time outdoors with his family. He sees patients in New Braunfels, Hallettsville, and Yoakum.

Dr. Vrana operates at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital, the CHRISTUS Outpatient Surgery Center, and Resolute Health Hospital in New Braunfels, and performs select outpatient procedures at Yoakum Community Hospital and Lavaca Medical Center, see where we operate.