A Florida surgeon has been indicted on a count of second-degree manslaughter after authorities say he removed the wrong organ during a routine procedure, causing catastrophic bleeding that killed a 70-year-old patient. The case has prompted criminal charges, an emergency license suspension and civil litigation as investigators detail a series of alleged surgical errors spanning multiple patients.
According to the indictment, Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, 44, operated on William Bryan after the man complained of left-side abdominal pain while visiting Florida. Bryan was admitted for evaluation of a possible spleen problem and was scheduled for a laparoscopic splenectomy on Aug. 21, 2024.
Hospital records and investigators say Bryan had repeatedly told staff he preferred medication management over surgery, but that the doctor pressed for the operation. Staff also raised concerns that a complex splenectomy was being scheduled late in the day when only a reduced operating crew was present.
Investigators say the surgeon arrived about an hour late for the scheduled 4 p.m. operation and that, during the procedure, he removed what turned out to be the patient’s liver rather than the spleen. “Immediately after performing the dissection, Patient W.B. began to severely hemorrhage and went into cardiac arrest. Operating room staff members observed a significant amount of blood pouring out, immediately disrupting visibility in the field.”
The report notes the obvious anatomical differences between the organs: “Spleens and livers are anatomically distinct, have different consistencies, and are different colors. Additionally, the spleen is located on the left side of the abdomen, while the liver is on the right side.” Staffers were reportedly stunned when the surgeon insisted the tissue on the table was the spleen. “The staff looked at the readily identifiable liver on the table and were shocked when Dr. Shaknovsky told them that it was a spleen. One staff member felt sick to their stomach.”
Medical examiners later found the patient’s spleen intact and in place while his liver was missing and the inferior vena cava had been severed. The report explained the anatomy plainly: “The vena cava is the largest vein in the body and brings deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart for new oxygen. The inferior vena cava connects the liver to the heart.” A pathologist confirmed the removed tissue was an intact liver, and there was no evidence of a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office stated, “Dr. Shaknovsky removed the victim’s liver instead of his spleen, resulting in catastrophic blood loss and the patient’s death on the operating table.” The grand jury found probable cause to charge that actions in the operating room amounted to criminal conduct under Florida law, and Shaknovsky was arrested and booked into the county jail.
The doctor told staff he believed he had removed the spleen amid the chaos and shock of the event. “Dr. Shaknovsky claims that due to his shock and the chaos of the situation, he was unable to properly identify the organ he removed and assumed it must be the spleen,” according to the health department report.
Hospital officials emphasized that the surgeon was not a staff physician at the local facility. “Dr. Shaknovsky was never a Sacred Heart Emerald Coast employee and has not practiced at any of our facilities since August 2024.” They added, “We remain focused on upholding the standards our patients and community expect of us.”
Authorities also say two other patients experienced serious surgical errors under Shaknovsky’s care, including a 58-year-old who went in for an adrenalectomy in May 2023 and instead had part of his pancreas removed. The emergency order detailed, “During the surgery, Dr. Shaknovsky removed a portion of Patient G.D.’s pancreas instead of the adrenal gland,” and noted the patient “suffered from long-term, permanent harm as a result of Dr. Shaknovsky’s error.”
Records indicate a prior malpractice settlement in August 2024 related to the May 2023 case and additional disciplinary actions in other states. State regulators suspended the surgeon’s license on an emergency basis in September 2024, and his license status is now listed as retired with an expiration date in March 2026.
Family members have voiced their disbelief and grief over the loss. “When I tell people what happened, it still sounds too awful to be true that that could happen,” the widow said as civil litigation moved forward against the physician and the hospital system.
Law enforcement and the health department say the case will proceed through the courts while investigators and medical boards continue their reviews. “Our duty is to follow the facts wherever they lead, without fear or favor,” the sheriff said, adding, “The grand jury has spoken, and our responsibility is to ensure the charges are carried out through the proper legal process.”
