William “Bill” Bryan, a 70-year-old man from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, died on August 21, 2024, after a surgeon at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Miramar Beach, Florida, mistakenly removed his liver instead of his spleen during what was supposed to be a routine procedure.
Bryan and his wife Beverly were visiting their rental property in Destin, Florida when he began experiencing pain in his left shoulder, neck, and side. The couple sought medical attention at the nearby Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital, where Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky diagnosed Bryan with a ruptured and bleeding cyst around his spleen.
Despite Bryan’s local doctor in Alabama advising that he be transported back home for the surgery, Dr. Shaknovsky insisted on operating at the Emerald Coast Hospital. According to Beverly Bryan, Dr. Shaknovsky claimed that her husband would bleed to death if he were moved.
On August 21, just two days before the couple’s 34th wedding anniversary, Dr. Shaknovsky performed a hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery on Bryan. The procedure was intended to be a splenectomy or removal of the spleen. However, during the operation, Dr. Shaknovsky inadvertently removed Bryan’s liver instead, causing immediate and catastrophic blood loss.
The surgical pathology report later revealed that the organ removed was not the spleen but a 4-pound, 10-ounce liver. Bryan went into cardiac arrest on the operating table, and efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.
Beverly Bryan, a retired nurse, expressed her outrage and grief over the loss of her husband. “Everyone knows you can’t live without a liver. It’s like taking somebody’s heart out,” she stated.
After the surgery, Dr. Shaknovsky labeled the removed organ as the “spleen” and sent it to pathology. During post-surgery dictation and when speaking to Bryan’s wife, the doctor reportedly believed he had removed a diseased spleen that had migrated to the other side of Bryan’s body. However, a post-mortem examination revealed that Bryan’s spleen was still intact, with only a small cyst on its surface.
The Bryan family has hired attorney Joe Zarzaur to seek justice for William’s death. Zarzaur has initiated the pre-suit process for a potential civil lawsuit for medical malpractice, which can take 6-9 months to complete under Florida law.
Beverly Bryan shared that her family is experiencing a combination of heartbreak and anger over Bill’s death, which she attributes to the doctors’ incompetence and Ascension Hospital’s negligence.
The case has raised concerns about Dr. Shaknovsky’s surgical history. According to medical records, this was not the first instance of a “wrong-site surgery” performed by the doctor. In 2023, Dr. Shaknovsky was involved in another surgical mishap at the same facility, where he mistakenly removed a portion of a patient’s pancreas instead of part of an adrenal gland. That case was reportedly settled during the pre-suit process for a confidential amount.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the District 1 Medical Examiner’s Office and the Office of the State Attorney, is reviewing the facts of the case to determine if any criminal charges should be filed. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have asked for the public’s patience, noting that these cases are extremely complex and take time to investigate thoroughly.
Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital issued a statement in which it expressed its condolences and confirmed that it is conducting an investigation into the incident. The hospital communicated that its thoughts and prayers are extended to the family. It also stated that the hospital’s leadership is investigating the events that transpired and is committed to taking appropriate action once their investigation is concluded.
Media reports suggest that Dr. Shaknovsky was not criminally charged and had no public complaints with the Florida Department of Health about the first incident. Bryan’s family’s attorney has expressed concern that the doctor may still practice medicine and treat patients while the investigation is ongoing.