The family of a 70-year-old man from Alabama has alleged that his death last month was caused by a surgeon removing the wrong organ during a procedure in Florida. William Bryan died after Dr Thomas Shaknovsky reportedly removed his liver instead of his spleen during a hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy on 21 August 2024 at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast hospital in Walton County.
According to the law firm representing Bryan's wife, Beverly, the couple were initially reluctant to proceed with surgery but were persuaded by doctors who warned of serious complications if he left the hospital. During the operation, the lawyer claims Dr Shaknovsky transected the major blood vessels supplying the liver, causing catastrophic blood loss and death. The removed organ was allegedly labelled as a 'spleen' and only identified as a liver after Bryan's death.
The family further alleges that Dr Shaknovsky had a previous 'wrong-site surgery' in 2023, where he mistakenly removed a portion of a patient's pancreas instead of performing an intended adrenal gland resection. That case was reportedly settled confidentially, and the doctor continued to practise.
After the fatal surgery, Dr Shaknovsky told Beverly that the 'spleen' was diseased, four times larger than normal and had migrated to the other side of Bryan's body. In reality, Bryan's spleen was found to remain in his body with only a small cyst. The Bryan family is calling for criminal and civil proceedings. Beverly stated: 'I don't want anyone else to die due to his incompetence.'
The hospital stated it is conducting a thorough investigation, adding that patient safety is its top priority. As of Wednesday, Dr Shaknovsky had not been criminally charged and had no disciplinary cases on his record. He did not respond to requests for comment. Bryan, a navy veteran and boilermaker, is survived by his wife of 33 years, three children, and eight grandchildren.
