Dr. Salim Graduated from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, with Master of Science (Physiology) and Doctor of Medicine, then he completed his residency in Neurological Surgery at the American University of Beirut - Medical Centre, with wide exposure to all diseases that involve the central and peripheral nervous systems.

He joined the University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Houston – Texas, for a clinical fellowship in Neurological Oncology, including surgery of brain and spine tumors under the supervision of world-leading neurosurgeons in the field of Neuro-oncology, headed by Professor Raymond Sawaya.

Dr. Salim Kanaan has overall 25 years of work experience in the field of Neurosurgery with special emphasis on brain and spine tumors. He has been vastly exposed to all central nervous system pathologies and diagnostic modalities and has mastered all surgical approaches and techniques related to brain and spine surgery.

He practiced modern neurosurgery in several tertiary care medical centres and university hospitals in Lebanon for 18 year, where he founded and chaired the Neurosurgery departments there and introduced modern neurosurgical approaches as well as advanced assisting technology.

Dr. Salim moved to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2015 to chair the division of neurosurgery in Al-Ahsa Hospital. There, he practiced modern neurosurgery and gained a good experience in the gulf. In 2018 he moved to United Arab Emirates as a consultant and head of the neurosurgery department at Zulekha hospital -Dubai.

Recently, he joined the VPS Health group and is currently practicing as consultant and head of Neurosurgery department at Burjeel Medical city, Abu Dhabi.

• Clinical Fellowship in Neurosurgical Oncology, University of Texas – MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston – Texas
• Residency Training in Neurological Surgery, American University of Beirut - Medical Center, Beirut - Lebanon
• Doctor of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut - Lebanon
• Master of Science (Physiology), American University of Beirut, Beirut - Lebanon
• Bachelor of Science (Biology-Chemistry), American University of Beirut, Beirut – Lebanon

Special Neurosurgical Skills

Access to all kinds of brain tumors:

• Multiple approaches
• Convexity and skull base
• Different gates and corridors
• Complete and near complete resections
• Function preservation
• Saving normal brain structures
• Detailed analysis of modern brain imaging
• Intra-operative image monitoring techniques
• Intra-operative cortical stimulation and mapping
• Awake craniotomy
• Micro-neurosurgical techniques

Spine and spinal cord surgery

• Detailed analysis of modern spine imaging
• Anterior cervical micro-discectomy
• Decompressive cervical laminectomy
• Anterior and posterior cervical spine instrumentation
• Lumbar micro-discectomy
• Decompressive lumbar laminectomy
• Lumbar spine instrumentation
• Micro-resection of spinal cord tumors
• Resection of primary and metastatic spine tumors