A vacation along Florida’s Emerald Coast turned into a nightmare for William Bryan, a 70-year-old man from Alabama, culminating in a tragic and preventable death. What began as abdominal pain quickly escalated into a desperate situation, leading to surgery at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in August 2024.
Bryan initially hoped to consult his doctor back home, but the intensifying pain forced him to agree to a splenectomy – the removal of the spleen. Little did he, or his wife Beverly, a healthcare professional herself, know that a devastating error was about to unfold in the operating room.
Concerns were reportedly raised by operating room staff regarding Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky’s ability to perform the complex procedure. Adding to the precarious circumstances, the surgical team was significantly understaffed at that hour, creating a tense and hurried atmosphere.
During the laparoscopic surgery, a catastrophic mistake occurred. Instead of removing the spleen, Dr. Shaknovsky removed Bryan’s liver, triggering massive blood loss. Despite frantic efforts, Bryan died on the operating table, a victim of a fatal and inexplicable error.
Dr. Shaknovsky initially claimed Bryan suffered a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm, stating he attempted to control the bleeding. He later admitted his inability to manage the situation, and then performed a splenectomy as a last resort while Bryan was already in cardiac arrest for fifteen minutes.
The doctor described firing a stapling device “blindly” into the abdomen, believing he was sealing the aneurysm and removing the spleen. Shockwaves rippled through the operating room when Shaknovsky identified the organ on the table as a spleen – a claim immediately met with disbelief by the stunned staff.
An autopsy revealed the horrifying truth: Bryan had not suffered an aneurysm. He died from the severe bleeding caused by the dissection of his inferior vena cava, the largest vein in the body. The organ removed weighed over two thousand grams – far exceeding the size of even an enlarged spleen.
The difference between a spleen and a liver is stark, even to those without medical training. A normal liver weighs significantly more than a spleen, a fact that further underscores the gravity of the error. The weight alone should have immediately signaled the devastating mistake.
Dr. Shaknovsky now faces a second-degree manslaughter charge and has been barred from practicing medicine in both Florida and Alabama. His license was suspended in November 2024, citing “repeated egregious surgical errors” that caused significant harm to Bryan and other patients.
Bryan’s family has filed a lawsuit seeking justice for this “senseless tragedy.” Beverly Bryan’s plea is simple and heartbreaking: she wants to ensure Shaknovsky is convicted, preventing him from endangering other patients in another state.
“Basically, he makes himself out to be the hero who is trying to save this man’s life,” stated the family’s lawyer. “When you think about it for more than two seconds, you know that’s not true.” The family’s grief is compounded by the knowledge that this tragedy was entirely avoidable.
