A 70-year-old man in Florida tragically died during surgery after a surgeon mistakenly removed his liver instead of his spleen, according to a report by the New York Post. The incident occurred at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital, where William Bryan and his wife, Beverly, had sought medical attention while visiting their rental property in Florida last month.
William Bryan was admitted to the hospital after experiencing severe pain in his lower left abdomen. Following tests that raised concerns about a possible spleen abnormality, the doctors convinced him to undergo surgery. General Surgeon Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky and the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Christopher Bacani, reportedly persuaded Bryan and his family to proceed with the operation, warning them of potential serious complications if they left the hospital without treatment.
During the surgery, Dr. Shaknovsky mistakenly removed Bryan’s liver, a procedure that led to catastrophic blood loss and ultimately resulted in his death. According to a Facebook post by Zarzaur Law, the firm representing Bryan’s widow, the surgeon initially tried to pass off the liver as an “enlarged spleen.” The true nature of the organ was only identified after Bryan’s death.
Beverly Bryan has retained Zarzaur Law to seek justice for her husband, expressing her hope that the surgeon will no longer be allowed to treat other patients. “My husband died while helpless on the operating room table by Dr. Shaknovsky,” Beverly stated. “I don’t want anyone else to die due to his incompetence at a hospital that should have known or knew he had previously made drastic, life-altering surgical mistakes.”
The law firm highlighted that Dr. Shaknovsky had a history of surgical errors, referencing a previous incident in 2023 where he allegedly removed part of a patient’s pancreas instead of performing the intended adrenal gland resection. In light of these events, North Walton Doctor’s Hospital has “disassociated” itself from Dr. Shaknovsky, removing all photos and references to him from its website. Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital has announced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Bryan’s death.
The unfortunate series of events has left Beverly Bryan devastated and seeking both civil and criminal proceedings related to her husband’s death. The incident also raises serious questions about surgical practices and oversight at the hospital.
In the aftermath, it was discovered that the source of William Bryan’s pain was likely a small cyst on his spleen, a condition that did not warrant the fatal surgery that claimed his life.
