Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, a 44-year-old Florida doctor, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of second-degree manslaughter after allegedly removing a patient's liver instead of his spleen during surgery in August 2024. The error resulted in catastrophic blood loss and the death of William Bryan, a 70-year-old man from Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Key Takeaways
A Florida doctor was indicted for second-degree manslaughter after allegedly removing a patient's liver instead of his spleen during surgery in August 2024. The error resulted in catastrophic blood loss and the death of a 70-year-old Alabama man.
- Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky faces manslaughter charges for fatal surgical error
- Patient died from catastrophic blood loss after liver removal
- Shaknovsky's medical licenses were suspended or surrendered in Florida, Alabama, and New York
- Grand jury found probable cause for criminal conduct under Florida law
The incident occurred at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Miramar Beach, where Shaknovsky was scheduled to perform a laparoscopic splenectomy. According to court records and an emergency order of license suspension by the Florida Department of Health, Shaknovsky insisted on proceeding with the operation despite obvious mistakes. He claimed he could not properly identify the organ due to shock and chaos but later labeled the removed liver as a spleen for pathology.
The medical examiner found no evidence of a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm, contradicting Shaknovsky's initial claims. The patient's wife contacted the Alabama Board of Licenses to alert them to Dr. Shaknovsky's alleged role in her husband's death. This led to the temporary suspension and eventual surrender of his medical license in Alabama.
Shaknovsky has a history of similar surgical errors, including removing a portion of a patient’s pancreas instead of the adrenal gland during an adrenalectomy in May 2023. The Florida Department of Health suspended his license following this incident, citing significant patient harm and lack of responsibility. His New York State medical license was also suspended in 2025.
Shaknovsky is currently being held at the Walton County Jail awaiting his first court appearance. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. The case highlights concerns about medical errors and the accountability of healthcare professionals.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 5 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.