A Florida doctor has been charged with second-degree manslaughter after allegedly removing the wrong organ during a surgery, resulting in the death of a 70-year-old man. Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, 44, has expressed deep regret over the incident, admitting in a deposition that he “couldn’t tell the difference” between the organs while performing the surgery.
Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky Faces Charges After Tragic Surgical Error
Dr. Shaknovsky has been charged with second-degree manslaughter following the death of William Bryan, who passed away after Shaknovsky allegedly removed his liver instead of his spleen during a surgery in August 2024. The surgeon, in a November 2025 deposition, described the event as an “incredibly unfortunate” mistake that continues to haunt him.
Beverly Bryan, William’s wife, claims that her husband’s death was directly caused by Shaknovsky’s error. According to Beverly, Shaknovsky mistakenly identified and removed her husband’s liver, which led to extensive bleeding and cardiac arrest.
A Disturbing Admission of Mistake in Deposition
During his deposition testimony, Dr. Shaknovsky admitted that he could not tell the difference between the liver and spleen, stating that he was “so upset” during the procedure. “It was like an overflown sink that’s clogged up, and I am looking for a fork at the bottom, trying to feel and find the bleed,” he explained. “After 20 minutes of struggling, desperately trying to save his life, that’s when the wrong-site event took place.”
Despite the surgeon’s emotional account, Beverly Bryan’s lawsuit disputes Shaknovsky’s explanation, claiming that a medical examiner later determined that William’s spleen was “nearly normal” and not enlarged due to a mass, as Shaknovsky had believed.
Emotional Impact and Allegations of Medical Malpractice
Shaknovsky further revealed that he was emotionally devastated by the mistake, stating that he went to the hospital library to cry after his team failed to resuscitate William. He described feeling “devastated, demoralized” and confessed that he thinks about the event every day.
The lawsuit, filed by Beverly Bryan, accuses Shaknovsky of medical malpractice, claiming he “wrongfully omitted any reference to Mr. Bryan’s liver being removed” in an attempt to “cover up” his negligence and avoid embarrassment for his actions. Shaknovsky also allegedly instructed a nurse to label the removed liver as a spleen and falsely referred to it as such in his postoperative notes.
Criminal Charges and Legal Consequences
A grand jury indicted Shaknovsky on second-degree manslaughter charges for William Bryan’s death. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the grand jury found probable cause to charge Shaknovsky with criminal conduct based on his actions during the surgery.
Following the indictment, Shaknovsky was taken into custody in Miramar Beach and transferred to the Walton County Jail.
