A Florida-based surgeon, Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, has been accused of a fatal medical error that led to the death of a patient.
The surgeon allegedly removed the patient's liver instead of his spleen during a surgical procedure, leading to the patient's death on the operating table. The Florida Department of Health has since suspended Shaknovsky's medical license, citing him as an "immediate, serious danger" to the public.
As reported by Fox News, the Department's emergency order detailed Shaknovsky's alleged misconduct, including fabricating medical records and pressuring others to lie about the incident. The patient, 70-year-old Alabama resident Bill Bryan, died during surgery at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Miramar Beach, Florida, on August 21.
Bryan had been vacationing with his wife Beverly in Destin when he began experiencing side pain. Upon arrival at the hospital, he was diagnosed with an enlarged spleen. Shaknovsky recommended immediate spleen removal, which Bryan initially refused. Beverly Bryan recounted, "We called Bills doctor, here at home in Northwest Alabama, and he told Bill that he would have surgeons here in North Alabama waiting when we got home. I tried to convince Dr. Shaknovsky to let me take him home or arrange for him to be transported, but Dr. Shaknovsky said that Bill would bleed to death if he was moved."
Despite Bryan's initial refusal, Shaknovsky continued to pressure him into surgery. The operation proceeded despite concerns from the operating room staff about Shaknovsky's ability to safely perform the complex procedure. The order alleges that Shaknovsky gave multiple accounts of the surgery, ultimately admitting to firing a stapling device "blindly" into Bryan's abdomen and removing an organ he "believed to be a spleen."
Shaknovsky justified his actions by claiming the spleen was grossly enlarged and deformed, and the liver was unusually positioned, causing him to confuse the organs. However, witnesses in the operating room told a different story. Shaknovsky identified a vessel he intended to cut, commenting on its pulsing under his finger and calling it "scary."
Following the organ's removal, Bryan began to hemorrhage severely and went into cardiac arrest. Despite the lack of visibility, Shaknovsky continued dissecting and never called for a clamp or cauterizer. Witnesses confirmed that Shaknovsky "blindly" fired the stapling device into Bryans abdomen.
Shaknovsky identified the removed organ as a spleen, despite the liver and spleen being different sizes, colors, and located on opposite sides of the body. The order states, "The staff looked at the readily-identifiable liver on the table and were shocked when Dr. Shaknovsky told them it was a spleen. One staff member felt sick to their stomach."
Shaknovsky insisted that Bryan died from a "ruptured splenic artery aneurysm," and made several attempts to convince the operating room staff of his claim. He requested the removed organ be labeled a "spleen" and sent to pathology. The person responsible for labeling the organ complied, despite knowing it was not a spleen.
After the surgery, Shaknovsky visited the pathology department to examine the organ again but refused to acknowledge his mistake. Instead, he fabricated his operative order in great detail, claiming specific ligaments and structures were dissected, but they were never touched.
Fox News Digital confirmed through a pathology report from Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast that the organ removed from Bryan was indeed his liver. The state's order also revealed that this was not Shaknovsky's first medical mistake. In May of 2023, he removed a portion of a patients pancreas instead of the adrenal gland, resulting in "long-term, permanent harm."
The order concludes, "Dr. Shaknovskys repeated egregious surgical errors resulted in significant patient harm coupled with his failure to take responsibility for these errors indicates that his reckless conduct is likely to continue. Therefore, Dr. Shaknovskys continued practice as an osteopathic physician presents an immediate, serious danger to the health, welfare, and safety of the public."
Beverly Bryan is pursuing both criminal and civil proceedings in her husband's death, represented by Florida-based firm Zarzaur Law. In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, she said, "My husband died while helpless on the operating room table by Dr. Shaknovsky. I dont want anyone else to die due to his incompetence at a hospital that should have known or knew he had previously made drastic, life-altering surgical mistakes."
Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast has yet to comment on Shaknovskys suspension. The hospital is investigating Bryan's death but does not comment on specific patient cases or active litigation. Ascension Sacred Heart spokesperson Gary Nevolis stated, "We take allegations like this very seriously, and our leadership team is performing a thorough investigation into this event. Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast has a longstanding history of providing safe, quality care since the hospital opened its doors in 2003. Patient safety is and remains our number one priority. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family."
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