Surgeon, Dr Thomas Shaknovsky, has been indicted for second-degree manslaughter after a grand jury alleged he removed a 70-year-old patient’s liver instead of his spleen
A surgeon in has been charged with manslaughter after he wrongly removed a patient’s liver instead of his spleen during a operation. Dr Thomas Shaknovsky, 44, was supposed to perform a laparoscopic splenectomy on William Bryan, 70.
But prosecutors allege he botched the procedure and cut out his liver in August 2024, causing “catastrophic blood loss and the patient’s death on the operating table“
William and his wife Beverly were in Florida visiting their rental property when he began experiencing “left-sided flank pain”. He was rushed to hospital where he underwent tests and was told he needed an operation, local media reported.
The Bryans were hesitant about having surgery in Florida, but were convinced to go ahead after being told by Shaknovsky and the hospital’s chief medical officer Dr Christopher Bacani that William could face serious complications if he left the hospital’s care.
Medical records show Shaknovsky and Bacani both appeared to take part in discussions about how William’s treatment should proceed, the Bryan’s lawyer Joe Zarzaur said in a statement.
Zarzaur said Shaknovsky then carried out a hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy on William, a procedure which he said had fatal consequences.
The statement said: “Dr. Shaknovsky removed Mr. Bryan’s liver and, in so doing, transected the major vasculature supplying the liver, causing immediate and catastrophic blood loss resulting in death.
“The surgeon proceeded with labeling the removed liver specimen as a ‘spleen,’ and it wasn’t until following the death that it was identified that the organ removed was actually Mr. Bryan’s liver, as opposed to the spleen.’”
Court records available so far did not list an attorney for Shaknovsky, as per WSFA.
Following the surgery, Florida regulators reportedly suspended Shaknovsky’s medical licence.
Records also show he voluntarily surrendered his Alabama medical licence after officials there moved to revoke it, according to WSFA.
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