Dr. Kenan Arnautovic – Neurosurgery specialist in Memphis, Tennessee

Dr. Kenan Arnautovic graduated from the School of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina as the top student in his class earning Award- Chancellor of the University Badge “Hasan Brkic”. He obtained a Master Degree in Neurosurgery in his Alma Mater (University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina) and defended his PhD thesis at J.J. Strossmaier University, Osijek, Croatia (EU).

He did his first neurosurgery residency at the Department of Neurosurgery, University Clinical Center, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and a second residency in neurosurgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. He also completed a skull-base fellowship in Little Rock, AR. His direct neurosurgical mentors include Professors Ossama Al-Mefty, Gazi Yasargil, Evandro de Oliveira, Ali Krisht, Rick Boop and Glen Pait.

Dr. Arnautovic is double-boarded in neurosurgery, in Europe (Diplomat of the Neurosurgery Board of Bosnia and Herzegovina) and in the USA (Diplomat of the American Board of Neurosurgery – Board Certified). He holds active neurosurgical licenses in the United States (Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama), Croatia (EU), and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dr. Arnautovic joined 22 years ago (2002) one of the oldest neurosurgical institutions of the world – the Semmes Murphey Clinic in Memphis, TN, USA (established in 1912; 112 years old). Dr. Kenan Arnautovic serves as a Professor of Neurosurgery at the Department of Neurosurgery, and Professor of Neurology at the Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, both at University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN, USA. He also has a Professor of Neurosurgery appointments at the Medical Schools of University J. J. Strossmaier, Osijek, Croatia (EU) and Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has established an International Neurosurgery Fellowship at the Semmes-Murphey Clinic and Department of Neurosurgery (1-2 months long) 18 years ago which was attended and has graduated over 40 neurosurgeons from all over the world. He has been faculty yearly for over 2 decades on both, Al-Mefty St. Louis Skull Base Neurosurgery Course and Arkansas Neuroscience Institute (ANI) Ali Krisht Course.

Dr. Arnautovic has published extensively in neurosurgery peer-reviewed journals and has made 3 front cover articles of Journal of Neurosurgery. He originally described two functional, anatomic, and neurosurgical entities- Suboccipital Cavernous Sinus and Suboccipital Ligament, both articles published in Journal of Neurosurgery. He described two original neurosurgical approaches and techniques- 270 Degrees Circumferential Decompression of Cranio-Cervical Junction in Chiari I malformations in Adults and Cranio-Orbital Pretemporal 2-Stage 4-By-4 Step Approach to Preserve and Improve Vision in Parasellar Tumors (World Neurosurgery and Operative Neurosurgery, respectively) which significantly improved preoperative altered visual and neurological functions in these patients after the surgery. He published one of the largest single surgeon series of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with outpatient surgery outcomes matching inpatient ones. He also published numerous articles on combined microsurgical and endoscopic approach to pituitary tumors, near elimination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) postoperative leak in surgeries of pituitary tumors, spinal cord tumors and Chiari I malformation in adults, micro neurosurgery of intrinsic and extrinsic spinal cord tumors and meta-analysis and operative microsurgical nuances on CNS hemangioblastomas in adults. He also published numerous articles on the topic of the History of Neurosurgery. Dr. Arnautovic published over 25 peer reviewed neurosurgical Operative Video Clips primarily for neurosurgical education and training, mainly in Operative Neurosurgery and World Neurosurgery. He is a Co-Editor of 2 neurosurgical Books: Glioma- Contemporary Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches and the Springer’s best seller– Spinal Cord Tumors. He has been an invited neurosurgical speaker at all continental neurosurgical society meetings, has lectured all over the world and on all continents. For the past 17 years (since 2007), Dr. Arnautovic has been named on best neurosurgeon list in Memphis, TN by peer medical doctor nominations.

Dr. Arnautovic served as a Vice-Chairman of the International Programs Committee of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) (2015-2017), Chairman of the International Programs Committee of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) (2017-2022), Chairman of the North American Chapter of South East Europe Neurosurgical Society (SEENS) (2019-2021), and Coordinator of Committees of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) (2021-2023). He is currently a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgery (AANS) Global Committee (2024-2026). He currently serves as the First Vice president of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) (2023-2025). He is member of World Academy of Neurosurgery (WANS), European Academy of Sciences and Arts (EASA), Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ANUBiH) and Academy of Medical Sciences of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AMNUBiH).

Professor Arnautovic is a founder and past President of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian American Academy of Arts and Sciences (BHAAAS) and a founding member of the Yasargil Microsurgical Academy (YMA). He also serves as an associate editor (Skull Base) of Operative Neurosurgery and section editor of Cranial Base at World Neurosurgery. He is a member of numerous other journal editorial boards including Pan Arab Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgical Sciences, Medical Archives, and Biomolecules and Biomedicine.

Dr. Arnautovic is member of numerous neurosurgical associations in the USA and around the World. He is both an honorary member and regular member of the Albanian Neurosurgical Society, Croatian Neurosurgical Society, and Association of Neurosurgeons in Bosnia and Herzegovina respectively and an honorary member of Serbian Neurosurgical Society. Dr. Arnautovic also serves as the Chair of the Education and International Relations Committee of the Albanian Neurosurgical Society.

Dr. Arnautovic is married to Sanja Arnautovic. They have two daughters, Aska and Alisa. In addition to the English language, Dr. Arnautovic speaks Bosnian and understands Latin and German.

Extracurricular Activities:

• Soccer
• Snow skiing
• He is an avid fan of the Grizzlies

Press:

• Named to 2018 list of Top Doctors in Memphis Magazine
• Named to 2017 list of Top Doctors in Memphis Magazine
• 2017 – Kenan Arnautovic, MD, appointed Chairman of International Committee of AANS. (Article from Bosnian-Herzegovinian American Academy of Arts and Sciences)
• Kenan Arnautovic, MD, Neurosurgeon, featured in the Commercial Appeal
• Named to 2012 “Patients’ Choice” list of Doctors
• Named to 2012 Top Doctors List for Good Health Magazine
• Dr. Arnautovic recognized as one of America’s Most Compassionate Doctors in 2012. (Patients’ Choice)​