Dr. Ivana Karakas

Dr. Ivana Karakas is a specialist in general surgery and a subspecialist in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Agram Hospital in Zagreb. Her clinical work includes hand and foot surgery, with the evaluation and treatment of injuries, painful conditions, deformities, nerve and tendon problems, reduced mobility, and other functional concerns affecting the upper and lower extremities. Her professional interests also include breast disease.

Patients may request an examination with Dr. Karakas when symptoms persist, repeatedly return, interfere with walking or hand function, or have not improved sufficiently after initial treatment. The assessment may include a clinical examination, review of previous medical reports and imaging, evaluation of movement and function, and planning of further diagnostics, conservative treatment, or surgery when clinically justified.

Foot surgery

In foot surgery, Dr. Karakas evaluates conditions affecting the heel, forefoot, toes, joints, bones, tendons, ligaments, nerves, skin, and toenails. Common reasons for a foot surgeon consultation include persistent forefoot or heel pain, difficulty walking, sports or everyday injuries, swelling, foot and toe deformities, tendon problems, painful calluses, and painful or swollen changes around a toenail.

The examination helps determine which structures may be responsible for the symptoms and whether additional tests such as an X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, or laboratory analysis may be useful. Not every foot problem requires surgery. Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may include footwear modification, orthotic support, temporary immobilization, medication, physical therapy, a minor procedure, or surgical treatment.

Hand surgery

Dr. Karakas also evaluates conditions involving the fingers, hand, wrist, nerves, tendons, joints, bones, scars, and surrounding soft tissues. Patients may seek a hand surgeon examination because of numbness and tingling, wrist pain, reduced grip strength, swelling, finger stiffness, an earlier injury, or a finger that locks or catches during movement.

The examination is used to assess whether symptoms may be connected with nerve compression, tendon irritation, joint disease, trauma, a cyst, scar tissue, or another structural problem. The next step may involve imaging, nerve testing, temporary support, hand therapy, medication, a minor surgical procedure, or operative treatment.

Education and professional background

Dr. Karakas graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Osijek in 2007. After completing her internship at Dr. Josip Bencevic General Hospital in Slavonski Brod, she began specialist training in general surgery in 2008. She passed the specialist examination in general surgery at Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center in 2013.

She subsequently completed subspecialist training in plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery at Dubrava University Hospital and passed the subspecialist examination in 2019. Before joining Agram Hospital in 2025, she worked until July 2025 in the Department of Plastic, Vascular, General, and Pediatric Surgery within the Surgical Diseases Service in Slavonski Brod.

Preparing for an inquiry

Before requesting an appointment, patients should prepare previous specialist reports, imaging findings, discharge letters, a medication list, and information about earlier treatments or operations. It is useful to describe where the problem is located, how long it has been present, whether it followed an injury, and how it affects walking, grip, movement, work, sport, or daily activities.

Send ZagrebMed a short description of the concern and the available medical documentation to request an examination with Dr. Karakas at Agram Hospital.