Alan Synn, MD, FACS
Dr. Synn is a founding member of the Vascular Institute of the Rockies. He is a native Californian and graduate of Stanford University and the UCLA School of Medicine. He completed his General Surgery Residency at the University of Washington and Vascular Surgery Fellowship at the University of Iowa, subsequently joining the faculty full time. His expertise is the endovascular and open surgical care of aneurysms and complex arterial conditions. Dr. Synn’s research in these areas has been published and presented nationally. Dr. Synn is a leader in developing integrated services for patients with vascular disorders, and has served as hospital medical director of vascular services. He is past president of both the Denver Medical Society and the Rocky Mountain Vascular Surgical Society and has been recognized by his peers twelve times as a “Top Doc” in 5280 Magazine. Dr. Synn enjoys his family life with his wife Lisa and their two children.
Alan Synn, MD, FACS
Dr. Synn is a founding member of the Vascular Institute of the Rockies. He is a native Californian and graduate of Stanford University and the UCLA School of Medicine. He completed his General Surgery Residency at the University of Washington and Vascular Surgery Fellowship at the University of Iowa, subsequently joining the faculty full time. His expertise is the endovascular and open surgical care of aneurysms and complex arterial conditions. Dr. Synn’s research in these areas has been published and presented nationally. Dr. Synn is a leader in developing integrated services for patients with vascular disorders, and has served as hospital medical director of vascular services. He is past president of both the Denver Medical Society and the Rocky Mountain Vascular Surgical Society and has been recognized by his peers twelve times as a “Top Doc” in 5280 Magazine. Dr. Synn enjoys his family life with his wife Lisa and their two children.
Education, Experience, and Certifications
Specialties:
- Peripheral Arterial Disease
Quick Facts:
- Practicing for more than 30 years
- Certified in Surgery and Vascular Surgery by the American Board of Surgery
- CO State Medical License
Awards, Honors, and Recognition
- 5280 Top Doctor – Vascular Surgery, 5280 Magazine (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor – Vascular Surgery, Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. (2009–2026)
- America’s Top Doctors – Vascular Surgery, U.S. News & World Report (2009–2014)
- First Prize, University of Iowa Department of Surgery Residents & Fellows Research Day Competition (1992)
- First Prize, Pacific Northwest Vascular Society Residents Paper Competition (1990)
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society Inductee (1986)
- Merck Book Award, UCLA School of Medicine (1986)
- Lange Book Award, UCLA School of Medicine (1985)
- Merit Scholarship, UCLA School of Medicine (1985)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Training Fellowship (1984)
- Robert P. Klinefelter Scholarship, Monterey County Medical Society (1982)
Publications:
Click to Expand Publications
- Mulvihill SJ, Albert A, Synn AY, Fonkalsrud EW. In-utero supplemental fetal feeding in an animal model: Effects on fetal growth and development. Surgery. 1985;98:500-505.
- Synn AY, Mulvihill SJ, Fonkalsrud EW. Surgical management of pancreatitis in childhood. Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 1987;22:628-632.
- Synn AY, Mulvihill SJ, Fonkalsrud EW. Surgical disorders of the pancreas in infancy and childhood. American Journal of Surgery. 1988;156:201-205.
- Laborde AL, Synn AY, Worsey MJ, et al. A prospective comparison of ankle/brachial indices and color duplex imaging in surveillance of the in situ saphenous vein bypass. Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery. 1992;33:420-425.
- Synn AY, Hoballah JJ, Sharp WJ, Kresowik TF, Corson JD. Vein bypass to the peroneal artery for lower extremity tissue loss: Are there angiographic predictors of failure? American Journal of Surgery. 1992;164:276-280.
- Corson JD, Synn AY. Chronic critical ischemia of the lower extremity. Current Practice in Surgery. 1992;4:76-80.
- Corson JD, Synn AY, Kresowik TF, Sharp WJ, Hoballah JJ. The role of non-invasive testing after infrainguinal vein bypass grafting. In: Veith FJ, ed. Current Critical Problems in Vascular Surgery, Vol. 4. Quality Medical Publishing; 1992:289-298.
- Chalmers RTA, Synn AY, Hoballah JJ, Corson JD. A distal anastomotic pseudoaneurysm after tibial artery vein bypass in an immunosuppressed patient. Journal of Vascular Surgery. 1993;18:545-547.
- Corson JD, Hoballah JJ, Kresowik TF, Sharp WJ, Worsey MJ, Synn AY, et al. Technical aspects and results of the open in situ saphenous vein bypass technique. International Angiology. 1993;12:162-163.
- Chalmers RTA, Synn AY, Hoballah JJ, Sharp WJ, Kresowik TF, Corson JD. Is the use of intraoperative post-reconstruction angiography following in situ saphenous vein bypass redundant? American Journal of Surgery. 1992;155:141-145.
- Synn AY, Chalmers RTA, Sharp WJ, Hoballah JJ, Kresowik TF, Corson JD. Is there a conduit of preference for a bypass between the carotid and subclavian arteries? American Journal of Surgery. 1993;166:157-162.
- Synn AY. Invited Commentary: Type IV Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Vascular Forum. 1993;1(3):160-161.
- Laborde AL, Synn AY, Worsey MJ, et al. A prospective surveillance of in situ saphenous vein bypasses. In: Carroll B, ed. Yearbook of Ultrasound. Mosby Yearbook; 1993.
- Chalmers RTA, Hoballah JJ, Kresowik TF, Sharp WJ, Synn AY, Miller E, Corson JD. The impact of color duplex surveillance on the outcome of lower limb bypass with segments of arm vein. Journal of Vascular Surgery. 1994;19:279-288.
- Chalmers RTA, Hoballah JJ, Kresowik TF, Synn AY, Nakagawa N, Sharp WJ, Corson JD. Late results of a prospective study of direct intra-arterial urokinase infusion for peripheral arterial and bypass graft occlusions. Cardiovascular Surgery. 1995;3:293-297.
- Synn AY. Medicine Is Not a Simple Game. Denver Medical Bulletin. 2005;95(12):1-6.
- Irwin C, Synn AY, Kraiss L, Zhang Q, Griffen MM, Hunter GC. Metalloproteinase expression in venous aneurysms. Journal of Vascular Surgery. 2008;48:1278-1285.
- Synn AY, Annest SJ. Transaxillary Thoracic Outlet Decompression. In: Lumley JSP, Hoballah JJ, eds. Springer Surgery Atlas: Vascular Surgery. Springer-Verlag; 2009:95-102.