Doctor suspended after being accused of fatally removing man’s liver instead of his spleen

MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. (WAFF/Gray News) - The license of a Florida doctor accused of fatally removing a man’s liver instead of his spleen has been suspended.

According to Attorney Joe Zarzaur, it all started when William Bryan started feeling pain in his left side last month while he was on the way to visit a rental property in Florida with his wife.

Bryan was admitted to the Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital over concerns for his spleen and was recommended for surgery by Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, WAFF reported.

Shaknovsky is accused of removing Bryan’s liver instead of his spleen, causing him to bleed out and die on the operating table.

After undergoing an autopsy, the medical examiner noticed the spleen and its attachments were untouched in their normal position.

The license of Shaknovsky was ordered to be immediately suspended from practice as an osteopathic physician in the order filed on September 24, 2024.

Copyright 2024 WAFF via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.