Florida Surgeon Indicted in Death After Removing Wrong Organ

TL;DR

A Florida grand jury indicted surgeon Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky on second-degree manslaughter for removing a patient's liver instead of his spleen.
The 70-year-old Alabama patient, William Bryan, died on the operating table from catastrophic blood loss during the August 2024 procedure.
The charge follows nearly two years of investigation, highlighting risks in surgical errors and potential accountability for doctors.

The story at a glance

A Walton County grand jury indicted Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, 44, on second-degree manslaughter in the death of William Bryan, a 70-year-old visitor from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Bryan sought treatment for left-side pain near his spleen at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Miramar Beach, Florida, in August 2024, but Shaknovsky removed his liver instead, leading to fatal bleeding. The indictment came Monday after an extensive probe by sheriff's deputies and state investigators; the hospital says Shaknovsky was never an employee there.

Key points

Bryan, visiting a rental property with his wife Beverly, felt pain on his left side and was scheduled for a laparoscopic splenectomy on August 21, 2024.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/us/florida-surgeon-manslaughter-organ-removal.html?smid=bsky-nytimes&smtyp=cur)[[2]](https://apnews.com/article/wrong-organ-removed-doctor-indicted-c9a5d56a3aaa8d2ab609f29145380d50)
Shaknovsky removed Bryan's liver, on the right side, causing massive blood loss; he reportedly insisted to operating room colleagues that it was the spleen, per Florida Health Department records.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/us/florida-surgeon-manslaughter-organ-removal.html?smid=bsky-nytimes&smtyp=cur)
Shaknovsky was arrested Monday morning, released on bond, and faces arraignment on May 19 in Walton County Circuit Court; conviction could bring up to 15 years in prison.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/us/florida-surgeon-manslaughter-organ-removal.html?smid=bsky-nytimes&smtyp=cur)[[3]](https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/florida-doctor-faces-manslaughter-charge-for-allegedly-removing-wrong-organ-during-surgery)
The hospital stated surgeons must meet "rigorous credentialing standards" and hold state licenses; Shaknovsky has not practiced at their facilities since August 2024.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/us/florida-surgeon-manslaughter-organ-removal.html?smid=bsky-nytimes&smtyp=cur)
Bryan's widow filed a lawsuit in January 2025 against Shaknovsky, his practice, the hospital system, and nurses, alleging a cover-up attempt.[[4]](https://www.wkrg.com/northwest-florida/lawsuit-filed-against-northwest-florida-doctor-accused-of-deadly-wrong-organ-removal-surgery)

Details and context

The case stems from a straightforward surgery gone catastrophically wrong: the spleen sits on the left, the liver on the right, yet the error occurred despite that clear anatomy. Florida's surgeon general suspended Shaknovsky's license last year after this and a prior incident where he removed part of a patient's pancreas instead of an adrenal gland.[[5]](https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article294664504.html)

Prosecutors built the case through an "extensive investigation" involving medical experts, leading to the rare criminal charge in a surgical mishap.[[6]](https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/florida-doctor-charged-after-removing-wrong-organ-resulting-in-patients-death)

Shaknovsky's lawyer has not commented publicly on the indictment.

Key quotes

Hospital statement: "Dr. Shaknovsky was never a Sacred Heart Emerald Coast employee and has not practiced at any of our facilities since August 2024."[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/us/florida-surgeon-manslaughter-organ-removal.html?smid=bsky-nytimes&smtyp=cur)

Why it matters

Criminal charges like this are unusual in medical errors, raising questions about when negligence crosses into manslaughter and how hospitals oversee surgeons. Patients and families face heightened awareness of surgical risks, while doctors could see stricter scrutiny on credentials and operating room decisions. Watch the May 19 arraignment and any trial developments, though outcomes remain uncertain.