A Florida physician has been arrested and charged following a fatal surgical error in which authorities say the wrong organ was removed from a patient, leading to the man’s death, as reported by The New York Post.

Thomas Shaknovksy, 44, was indicted Monday on a charge of second-degree manslaughter in connection with the August 2024 death of 70-year-old William Bryan, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators said the procedure took place at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Miramar Beach.

Bryan, an Alabama resident from Muscle Shoals, had been visiting the Florida Panhandle with his wife when he sought medical care for lower left abdominal pain.

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Doctors initially suspected a spleen abnormality and admitted him for further testing. According to an emergency suspension order, Bryan declined surgical intervention and expressed a desire to return home.

Authorities allege Shaknovksy encouraged Bryan to undergo a laparoscopic splenectomy, a procedure to remove the spleen, and the patient ultimately agreed.

During the operation, investigators said Shaknovksy encountered difficulty with visibility and converted the procedure to an open surgery.

According to the suspension order, the doctor then began working on vessels associated with the liver rather than the spleen.

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Officials said the actions triggered severe internal bleeding. Bryan went into cardiac arrest during the procedure as medical staff attempted to respond to the emergency.

According to witness accounts cited in the suspension order, Shaknovksy continued operating and ultimately removed a 4.6-pound liver. Staff in the operating room recognized the organ and expressed concern.

“The staff looked at the readily identifiable liver on the table and were shocked when Dr. Shaknovsky told them it was the spleen,” a witness said. “One staff member ‘felt sick to their stomach.’”

Bryan was pronounced dead during the procedure. Authorities said Shaknovksy initially attributed the death to a splenic artery aneurysm.

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Investigators also alleged that Shaknovksy directed staff to label the removed liver as a “spleen” before sending it to pathology.

“The staff in the room felt that Dr. Shaknovsky was attempting to convince them that this is what occurred, even though they witnessed something different,” the order stated.

The death was later ruled a homicide, with the cause identified as “liver removed during splenectomy,” according to the family’s attorney.

Shaknovksy’s medical license was revoked following the incident. He was taken into custody Monday morning and transported to the Walton County Jail, where he is awaiting his first court appearance.

Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson addressed the case following the indictment.

“Our duty is to follow the facts wherever they lead, without fear or favor,” Adkinson said.

“The grand jury has spoken, and our responsibility is to ensure the charges are carried out through the proper legal process. Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family and their unspeakable loss. We are committed to seeing this case through with the professionalism and integrity our community expects.”

Authorities have not released additional details about the timeline for court proceedings, but the case remains under active review as it moves through the legal system.

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