Florida Surgeon Indicted for Manslaughter After Removing Liver Instead of Spleen
Thomas Shaknovsky, a 44-year-old surgeon in Florida, has been indicted by a grand jury on manslaughter charges following the death of 70-year-old William Bryan during an August 2024 surgery. The procedure, intended to be a laparoscopic splenectomy at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach, resulted in catastrophic blood loss and the patient's death after Shaknovsky mistakenly removed Bryan's liver instead of his spleen. Prosecutors allege that despite realizing the error and facing chaos in the operating room, Shaknovsky insisted on continuing the operation in a failed attempt to control bleeding from an aneurysm. Court filings indicate he later mislabeled the liver as a spleen and provided misleading information to the victim's wife about the organ's condition. Following an extensive investigation by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and state medical authorities, Shaknovsky was taken into custody. His medical license had previously been suspended by the Florida Department of Health. The incident highlights severe medical negligence leading to fatal consequences, with legal proceedings now underway to address the wrongful death.
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Florida Surgeon Indicted for Manslaughter After Removing Liver Instead of Spleen
Thomas Shaknovsky, a 44-year-old surgeon in Florida, has been indicted by a grand jury on manslaughter charges following the death of 70-year-old William Bryan during an August 2024 surgery. The procedure, intended to be a laparoscopic splenectomy at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach, resulted in catastrophic blood loss and the patient's death after Shaknovsky mistakenly removed Bryan's liver instead of his spleen. Prosecutors allege that despite realizing the error and facing chaos in the operating room, Shaknovsky insisted on continuing the operation in a failed attempt to control bleeding from an aneurysm. Court filings indicate he later mislabeled the liver as a spleen and provided misleading information to the victim's wife about the organ's condition. Following an extensive investigation by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and state medical authorities, Shaknovsky was taken into custody. His medical license had previously been suspended by the Florida Department of Health. The incident highlights severe medical negligence leading to fatal consequences, with legal proceedings now underway to address the wrongful death.
The Guardian