Dr. Wayne F. Yakes is a preeminent specialist and global authority in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular malformations. He currently serves as Medical Director of The Yakes Vascular Malformation Center at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado, an institution he founded in 1991 to exclusively address vascular anomalies in all anatomical locations. A board-certified Radiologist with dual Certificates of Added Qualifications in Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Dr. Yakes received his medical degree from Creighton University School of Medicine and completed subspecialty fellowship training at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. His career trajectory was decisively shaped during his 1984-1985 fellowship when he identified a critical gap in therapeutic options for congenital vascular malformations, sparking his lifelong dedication to developing curative interventions.
Dr. Yakes pioneered the revolutionary endovascular transcatheter approach for vascular malformations, becoming the first to publish the ethanol AVM embolization technique in the medical literature in 1986, which transformed previously untreatable conditions into manageable pathologies. His most significant contribution is the comprehensive Yakes AVM Classification System that precisely matches specific endovascular techniques to distinct angioarchitectural patterns of arteriovenous malformations, dramatically improving cure rates while reducing treatment complications. Through relentless innovation, he has established curative protocols for hemangiomas, venous malformations, lymphatic malformations, and arteriovenous malformations that achieve unparalleled outcomes unmatched by any other center worldwide. His extensive body of work includes numerous seminal medical articles and textbook chapters that have fundamentally reshaped clinical approaches to vascular anomalies across the global medical community.
As Past President of the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies from 2006-2008, Dr. Yakes became the first Interventional Radiologist to hold this prestigious leadership position, reflecting his transformative influence on the field. His exceptional contributions were honored with The Alumni Merit Award, the highest distinction bestowed by Creighton University School of Medicine, recognizing his extraordinary professional achievements. Dr. Yakes continues to refine his classification system and treatment protocols while providing expert consultation to patients from every continent, maintaining his center's status as the definitive global destination for vascular malformation care. His ongoing work focuses on optimizing curative endovascular techniques to further expand treatment possibilities for complex vascular pathologies that previously carried limited therapeutic options.
