2 weeks Ago By Debadrita Sur
A Florida-based surgeon who accidentally removed an Alabama man's liver instead of his spleen is a repeat offender: previously, a female patient died under him due to a last-minute procedure change, a new complaint alleged. His medical negligence has cost him his license in both states. The Florida Department of Health issued an emergency suspension order on Sept.
24 for Thomas J. Shaknovsky's medical license, detailing how he severed patient William Bryan's inferior vena cava. This vessel connects the liver with the heart.
The procedure ended up "resulting in the bleeding event that precipitated his death," the document alleged . Inside Trump's extensive '$240K plastic surgery spending' to stop hair disaster Texas hospital halts liver transplants after surgeon accused of changing records Shaknovsky said he started a laparoscopic procedure on Bryan but ended up switching to open surgery due to poor visibility caused by a distended colon and blood in the abdomen. This, however, remained undocumented in his report.
Despite complications that also included an enlarged and deformed spleen and an abdomen full of blood that deterred proper visibility, he went on to remove the liver instead of the spleen. "The staff looked at the readily identifiable liver on the table and were shocked when Dr. Shaknovsky told them that it was a spleen.
One staff member felt sick to their stomach," the report stated. An autopsy later revealed that Bryan's spleen remained intact and that the liver had been removed. As per the document, Shaknovksy has a history of performing fatal surgeries, including a May 2023 incident where he removed a portion of a patient's pancreas instead of an adrenal gland.
"Dr. Shaknovsky's continued practice of osteopathic medicine constitutes an immediate, serious danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the citizens of the State of Florida ," the order declared. The osteopathic physician's license has been suspended in Alabama following a new complaint filed by the state's Board of Medical Examiners on Oct.
22. The complaint alleges Shaknovksy's negligence resulting in the death of William Bryan in August 2024, the previous incident in May 2023 as well as the death of a female patient following surgical complications in July 2023. The female patient was scheduled to undergo an ileostomy, a medical procedure that creates a hole in a patient's stomach to change the pathway for removing excreta from a person's body.
However, Shaknovsky changed his mind completely and "opted to perform a bowel resection which resulted in perforation," the complaint alleges. A bowel resection refers to removing any part of the bowel, including the small or large intestine, and marks the third time the doctor unnecessarily removed a whole or partial piece of an organ during surgery leading to fatal consequences. DON'T MISS: Plastic surgeon charged after wife died while he performed multiple surgeries [NEW] Surgeon 'raped or sexually assaulted 299 patients while they were unconscious' [SHOCKING] Student, 24, kills himself after 'botched beard transplant by fake doctor' [REPORT] Following the operation, the female patient's health deteriorated and she was moved to the ICU where she later passed away.
The complaint, however, does not mention when she died. According to a subsequent investigation by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, Shaknovsky and other doctors involved in the surgery "failed to appropriately use diagnostic testing and delayed in ordering imaging to timely treat sepsis." Bryan's wife, Beverly, hired Joe Zarazur, an attorney of Florida -based Zarazur Law for legal help.
Zarazur took to Instagram to let netizens know that Shaknovsky will be unable to practice legally in the United States due to a summary suspension of his license. Zarazur explained what a summary suspension is by saying, "If there is conduct that the Board believes is dangerous to public safety, it may file formal allegations with the Commission and request restrictions, revocation, or other action against the physician’s license. Depending upon the urgency of the situation, the Board can request a summary suspension of the physician’s license until the case can be heard.
" According to the Alabama suspension order, a hearing regarding Shaknovsky's license suspension is scheduled on Dec. 18..
