🚨 BREAKING: Florida Doctor Reportedly Said He ‘Couldn’t Tell the Difference’ After Removing the Wrong Organ During Surgery That Ended in Patient’s D*ath — Investigation Underway ⚖️🏥

Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, a Florida surgeon, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter following a botched surgery that led to the death of 70-year-old William Bryan. The incident occurred in August 2024, when Shaknovsky mistakenly removed Bryan’s liver instead of his spleen, which resulted in the patient’s death.

In a deposition given in November 2025, Shaknovsky admitted to confusing the organs during the procedure, claiming that he “couldn’t tell the difference” due to his emotional distress as he tried to stop Bryan’s bleeding. He described the moment as an overwhelming struggle, likening it to trying to locate an object in a clogged sink. “I was not able to do so,” Shaknovsky said in his testimony, explaining that after 20 minutes of desperate efforts to save Bryan’s life, he mistakenly removed the wrong organ.

The Tragic Outcome

Following the surgery, Bryan suffered extensive bleeding, which caused his heart to stop. Despite efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead. Shaknovsky expressed deep regret in his deposition, saying, “It’s a devastating thing, which I will have to live with the rest of my life. I think about it every single day.”

Shaknovsky also described his emotional state after the death, explaining that he went to the hospital’s library to cry in private, as he didn’t want his staff to witness his distress. He added that he had felt “demoralized” and “mentally compromised” during the surgery and the aftermath, which contributed to his failure to properly identify the organs.

Medical Malpractice and Lawsuit

Bryan’s wife, Beverly Bryan, has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Shaknovsky, accusing him of medical malpractice. The lawsuit claims that Shaknovsky “wrongfully omitted any reference to Mr. Bryan’s liver being removed in order to cover up his gross negligence” and alleged that he misrepresented the procedure in his postoperative notes by labeling the liver as a spleen.

Beverly also stated that a medical examiner later told her that her husband’s spleen was “nearly normal,” contradicting Shaknovsky’s belief that it was enlarged due to a mass. This discrepancy has raised additional concerns about the surgeon’s judgment during the procedure.

Legal Consequences

A grand jury indictment has now charged Shaknovsky with second-degree manslaughter for his actions in the operating room. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the grand jury found probable cause to charge the surgeon under Florida law, stating that his conduct in the surgery constituted criminal negligence.

Shaknovsky was taken into custody and later transferred to the Walton County Jail. The legal proceedings are ongoing, and the surgeon faces significant legal consequences for what has been described as gross negligence and recklessness.

This tragic case underscores the importance of accountability in medical care, particularly when errors lead to life-altering consequences for patients and their families.