A Florida doctor has been indicted for second-degree manslaughter in connection with the 2024 operating room death of a patient during a wrong-organ surgery, officials said.
Authorities allege that on Aug. 21, 2024, Shaknovsky removed William Bryan's liver instead of his spleen during a scheduled laparoscopic splenectomy at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital.
"During this operation, Dr. Shaknovsky removed Mr. Bryan’s liver and, in so doing, transected the major vasculature supplying the liver, causing immediate and catastrophic blood loss resulting in death," the firm said. "The surgeon proceeded with labeling the removed liver specimen as a 'spleen,' and it wasn’t until following the death that it was identified that the organ removed was actually Mr. Bryan’s liver."
The agency said Shaknovsky denied wrongdoing, claiming the organs had "'migrated' to an unusual place in the body or presented with abnormal anatomy." The Department of Health said Shaknovsky's failure to admit error "illustrates either his lack of clinical appreciation for what occurred during the procedures and/or his lack of integrity."
A legal representative for Shaknovsky could not immediately be reached for comment. NTD reached out to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital for a statement, but a response was not received by publication time.
Following Shaknovsky's arrest, Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson emphasized the department's commitment to the ongoing legal process.
"Our duty is to follow the facts wherever they lead, without fear or favor," Adkinson said. "The Grand Jury has spoken, and our responsibility is to ensure the charges are carried out through the proper legal process. Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family and their unspeakable loss."