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A Florida doctor has been indicted in connection with the death of a 70-year-old man after authorities said the surgeon removed the wrong organ during surgery and caused "catastrophic blood loss" that killed the patient.
Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, 44, was indicted this week by a grand jury on a charge of second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of William Bryan of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, according to police.
'This heartbreaking loss has devastated the family of William Bryan, and we are seeking justice for this senseless tragedy.'
The Pensacola News Journal reported that Bryan and his wife, Beverly, were visiting their rental property in Okaloosa County, Florida, when he suddenly began experiencing pain on the left side of his body, according to the family's law firm.
The couple went to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Miramar Beach, Florida.
William was admitted to the hospital for further testing after doctors found a potential issue with his spleen, the law firm said.
The Florida Department of Health said the patient wanted to utilize medication management for his spleen issue instead of undergoing surgery.
However, Shaknovsky allegedly "continued to pressure" the patient to undergo surgery to remove his spleen, despite the man "repeatedly" saying that he didn't want the surgery.
The Walton County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that the alleged victim was scheduled to undergo a laparoscopic splenectomy on Aug. 21, 2024, which is a spleen removal surgery.
The health department said that operating room staff members were concerned about the procedure "being done so late in the day since they only had a skeletal crew" and that "splenectomies were complicated procedures that could quickly deteriorate and were not regularly performed" at the facility.
The Florida Department of Health also noted that Shaknovsky "arrived at the hospital approximately an hour late" for the surgery scheduled for 4 p.m.
Investigators said Shaknovsky removed the patient's liver instead of his spleen.
The health department's report stated, "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 health department noted, "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."
The report said, "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."
Bryan was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Walton County Sheriff's Office said, "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."
Dr. Shaknovsky told the staff that the patient died from a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm, according to the report.
The Florida Department of Health said a pathologist confirmed the organ tissue removed was an intact liver.
The report revealed that the "medical examiner observed that patient W.B.'s spleen and its attachments were untouched and in the normal position, his liver was missing, and his inferior cava had been severed."
The health department pointed out, "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."
"Additionally, the medical examiner noted that there was no evidence of a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm," the report proclaimed.
The report claimed that Shaknovsky dissected Bryan's inferior vena cava, "resulting in the bleeding event that precipitated his death."
"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.
The sheriff's office stated, "The grand jury found probable cause to charge that the actions taken in the operating room constituted criminal conduct under Florida law."
Shaknovsky was arrested in Miramar Beach and transported to the Walton County Jail.
Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson said, "Our duty is to follow the facts wherever they lead, without fear or favor."
Adkinson added, "The grand jury has spoken, and our responsibility is to ensure the charges are carried out through the proper legal process."
The deceased man's widow, Beverly Bryan, told NBC News, "When I tell people what happened, it still sounds too awful to be true that that could happen."
Pensacola-based law firm Zarzaur Law P.A. filed a lawsuit against Shaknovsky and Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in January 2025.
A spokesperson for Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital Emerald Coast told NBC News, "Dr. Shaknovsky was never a Sacred Heart Emerald Coast employee and has not practiced at any of our facilities since August 2024."
The spokesperson continued, "We remain focused on upholding the standards our patients and community expect of us."
Authorities claim that two other patients of Shaknovsky experienced surgery mishaps, including one man who died after surgery.
In May 2023, a 58-year-old man went to the Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital to get an adrenalectomy, which is the surgical removal of one or both adrenal glands.
The emergency suspension order stated, "During the surgery, Dr. Shaknovsky removed a portion of Patient G.D.'s pancreas instead of the adrenal gland."
Following the surgery, the removed tissue was sent for pathological analysis, according to the Florida Department of Health.
A pathologist examined the purported adrenal gland specimen, which was actually tissue from the patient's pancreas, the order revealed.
"In response to the allegations, Dr. Shaknovsky claimed that the adrenal gland had 'migrated' to a different part of the body," the order said.
The State of Florida Department of Health said the patient "suffered from long-term, permanent harm as a result of Dr. Shaknovsky's error."
Florida Department of Health records show that Shaknovsky in August 2024 settled a malpractice claim for $400,000 in connection with the May 2023 case.
Another one of Shaknovsky's patients died following a procedure, according to authorities.
NBC News reported that the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners said Shaknovsky removed part of a patient's intestine during a procedure in July 2023, which caused a gastrointestinal perforation during which a hole develops in the intestine.
The patient was transported to the ICU shortly after the surgery and died, according to NBC News.
In September 2024, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo ordered the emergency suspension of Shaknovsky's medical license.
The Florida Department of Health currently lists the status of Shaknovsky's medical license as "retired," and the license expired on March 31, 2026.
Public records show his license in New York was temporarily suspended in May 2025.
The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners filed a court order to temporarily suspend Shaknovsky's medical license shortly after Bryan's death.
Citing records, the Washington Post reported that Shaknovsky voluntarily surrendered his medical license in Alabama after the board attempted to revoke his license.
The New York Times reported that Shaknovsky is scheduled for an arraignment in Walton County Circuit Court on May 19.
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