Florida surgeon sued after mistakenly removing patient’s liver

A Florida surgeon is facing a significant lawsuit following a surgical error that led to the death of 70-year-old William Bryan. 

The incident occurred in August 2024 during a scheduled splenectomy when Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, based at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Miramar Beach, allegedly removed Bryan’s liver instead of his spleen, causing catastrophic blood loss that resulted in Bryan’s death.

Bryan, who was visiting Florida with his wife, Beverly, began experiencing severe abdominal pain and was admitted to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a spleen abnormality. Although initially hesitant, Bryan and his wife were persuaded by Dr. Shaknovsky and the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Christopher Bacani, that immediate surgery was necessary.

During the operation, Dr. Shaknovsky allegedly removed Bryan’s liver, mistaking it for the spleen. He then informed Bryan’s wife that the organ was severely diseased, had enlarged to four times its normal size, and had migrated to the other side of the body. The mistake was only discovered after Bryan’s death, when it was confirmed that the spleen was still intact while the liver had been erroneously excised.

In response to this tragic error, Beverly Bryan has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Shaknovsky and Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital.

According to the North Okaloosa-based Crestview News Bulletin, the suit accuses the hospital and Dr. Shaknovsky of gross negligence and malpractice, seeking both criminal and civil penalties. The lawsuit also highlights a previous incident in 2023, where Dr. Shaknovsky allegedly removed part of a patient’s pancreas instead of performing the intended adrenal gland resection, raising further concerns about his competency.