Florida surgeon indicted after removing liver instead of spleen
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Florida surgeon Thomas Shaknovsky has been indicted for second-degree manslaughter after mistakenly removing a patient's liver instead of his spleen during surgery in August 2024, resulting in the patient's death on the operating table.
- The patient, 70-year-old William Bryan from Alabama, suffered catastrophic blood loss and cardiac arrest during the procedure, which Shaknovsky continued despite realizing the error, according to prosecutors and medical authorities.
- An investigation revealed that Shaknovsky mislabeled the removed liver as a diseased spleen and gave false information to the patient's family; his medical license was suspended in Florida and revoked in Alabama and New York.
- Shaknovsky was taken into custody and faces up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted; the indictment follows a grand jury finding probable cause of criminal conduct in the operating room.
- The case has drawn attention to medical malpractice and surgical errors, with authorities emphasizing their commitment to pursuing justice for the victim and his family.
