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Board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon. Sports injuries, arthroscopy, ACL & ligament reconstruction, and hip/knee/shoulder replacement.
A physical therapist for eight years before medical school — which still shapes how he thinks about recovery, rehab, and when surgery is actually the right call.
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 for nearly two decades. 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. Those years shaped the way he practices today. He has stood on the rehab side of an ACL reconstruction and a total knee, watched first-hand what works and what doesn't across months of recovery, and understands why conservative care — the right brace, the right injection, the right PT protocol — is usually where the conversation should start. Patients often hear him ask about daily function and rehab goals long before the conversation turns toward surgery.
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.
Since arriving in New Braunfels in 2006, Dr. Vrana has taken orthopedic call at the local hospitals. Call is nights, weekends, and holidays — receiving the fractures, dislocations, and other acute injuries that arrive through the emergency department, operating when the injury needs it, and then following those patients back into the clinic for recovery. It is a quiet part of the job and one he has kept up for nearly two decades.
Dr. Vrana grew up in Shiner, Texas. He and his wife have two sons; off the clock he's camping or outdoors with family. He sees patients in New Braunfels, Hallettsville, and Yoakum.
Ben Swanner is the newest addition to the OSI team, working alongside Dr. Vrana to evaluate and diagnose injuries, assist with post-operative visits, and perform in-office procedures like injections and casting. His interest in healthcare was shaped early — his mother is a longtime nurse.
He completed his Bachelor's in Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University in 2022, followed by his PA degree at South University in Austin in 2025. He is board certified by the NCCPA and licensed by the Texas Medical Board.
Originally from Dallas and a graduate of Lake Highlands High School, Ben is married to Elaina and has a dog named Maverick. Off the clock he's hiking, traveling, playing basketball, or out on the golf course.
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