DESTIN, FLORIDA — Florida doctor Thomas Shaknovsky, 44, is facing second-degree manslaughter charges after authorities say he removed the liver of 70-year-old patient William Bryan instead of his spleen during a 2024 laparoscopic surgery at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast hospital, leading to catastrophic blood loss and Bryan’s death on the operating table.
William Bryan Admitted for Enlarged Spleen While Vacationing in Destin
William Bryan, a 70-year-old man from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, was vacationing in Destin, Florida with his wife when he began experiencing abdominal pain. He was taken to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast hospital where he was diagnosed with a suspected enlarged spleen and Dr. Shaknovsky recommended immediate surgery.
Bryan’s wife requested that her husband be transferred back to Alabama for treatment. Dr. Shaknovsky refused the request, insisting that Bryan could bleed to death if moved, and proceeded with the surgery at the Destin facility.
Surgeon Allegedly Removed Liver Instead of Spleen During Laparoscopic Procedure
Prosecutors allege that during what was intended to be a routine laparoscopic splenectomy, Dr. Shaknovsky accidentally removed Bryan’s liver rather than his spleen. The catastrophic surgical error caused massive blood loss, and Bryan died on the operating table during the procedure.
Reports indicate that Dr. Shaknovsky continued operating even as Bryan went into cardiac arrest. An autopsy conducted after Bryan’s death confirmed the devastating nature of the mistake — Bryan’s spleen was found completely untouched while his liver was missing entirely.
Medical Licenses Suspended Across Multiple States Following Fatal Surgery
Following Bryan’s death, both the Alabama and Florida medical boards moved to suspend Dr. Shaknovsky’s medical licenses. His New York medical license was subsequently suspended in 2025 as the consequences of the fatal surgery continued to unfold across multiple states.
Public records reveal that Dr. Shaknovsky had faced prior malpractice accusations before the Bryan case, including a $400,000 settlement in 2024 stemming from a 2023 incident in which he removed part of a patient’s pancreas instead of the adrenal gland. A separate case also exists in which a patient died after part of their intestine was incorrectly removed during a procedure performed by Shaknovsky.
Walton County Grand Jury Indicts Shaknovsky as Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed
Dr. Shaknovsky was indicted by a Walton County grand jury and subsequently arrested in Miramar Beach, Florida, where he was booked into the county jail and is now awaiting his first court appearance. Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson confirmed that the grand jury had spoken and that authorities were committed to carrying the charges through the proper legal process, expressing thoughts for the victim’s family and their loss.
Bryan’s widow has also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against both Dr. Shaknovsky and Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast hospital, with the civil case adding to the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the fatal 2024 surgery. Stay with GordonRamsayClub.com for the latest updates and detailed coverage.
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