FLORIDA SURGEON ‘DEVASTATED’ OVER DEATH OF PATIENT AFTER REMOVING LIVER INSTEAD OF SPLEEN. (PHOTO).

 Florida surgeon ‘devastated’ over death of patient after removing liver instead of spleen

Florida surgeon Thomas Shaknovsky is facing serious legal consequences after a tragic surgical error that led to the death of 70-year-old patient William Bryan. 

During what was supposed to be a spleen removal, Shaknovsky mistakenly removed Bryan’s liver, an error that resulted in catastrophic blood loss and ultimately Bryan’s death on the operating table. 

In April, a grand jury indicted the 44-year-old surgeon on manslaughter charges, and he now faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

In a deposition obtained by NBC, Shaknovsky described the incident as an “incredibly unfortunate event” and admitted he was “forever traumatized” by the outcome. 

He explained that he was mentally compromised at the time, devastated and demoralized by Bryan’s passing, and even attempted to cover up the mistake by labeling the removed liver as a spleen in medical notes. 

Bryan’s widow, Beverly Bryan, has since filed a malpractice lawsuit, accusing Shaknovsky of gross negligence and recklessness, as well as deliberately omitting the truth to avoid embarrassment.

Shaknovsky’s testimony painted a picture of chaos in the operating room as Bryan began bleeding extensively, with staff performing chest compressions while the surgeon struggled to locate the source of the hemorrhage. 

He likened the situation to a clogged sink overflowing, saying he was desperately trying to save Bryan’s life but failed. 

Despite claiming Bryan’s spleen was unusually large, a medical examiner later confirmed it was nearly normal in size. 

Shaknovsky admitted he thinks about the incident every day, acknowledging it as a devastating mistake he will live with for the rest of his life.