MISTAKES CAN HAPPEN –
April 16, 2026 – According to ABC 7, Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky was indicted for second-degree manslaughter by a grand jury for the fatal surgery, which occurred in August 2024. Prosecutors alleged that the botched operation led to “catastrophic blood loss,” resulting in the death of a 70-year-old man. The senior citizen, who hails from Alabama, came in expecting the removal of his spleen. Instead, Shaknovsky removed his liver, with the man dying on the operating table. The patient’s widow revealed his identity to NBC News as Bill Bryan. For the deadly mistake, Shaknovsky was detained on April 13 in Miramar Beach, Florida. The 44-year-old physician was transported to Walton County Jail ahead of his hearing the following day.
The legal filing detailed that Shaknovsky recommended the surgery after the 70-year-old Bryan arrived at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital Emerald Coast with abdominal pain. After further inspection revealed a “suspected enlarged spleen,” Shaknovsky advised the old man to let him remove the organ.
