A United States-based surgeon, Thomas Shaknovsky, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter following the death of a 70-year-old patient during a surgical procedure in Florida.
A grand jury in Walton County indicted the 44-year-old doctor on Monday over the August 2024 incident involving William Bryan, who died after undergoing what was intended to be a spleen-removal operation.
Bryan had reportedly visited a hospital in Miramar Beach after experiencing severe pain while at his property. Medical checks indicated an enlarged spleen, prompting the recommendation for surgery.
Prosecutors alleged that the surgeon persuaded the patient to proceed with the operation despite his initial hesitation to seek further medical opinion elsewhere.
The procedure, initially planned as a minimally invasive surgery, reportedly took a different turn when complications arose in the operating theatre, leading to a switch to open surgery.
During the operation, Shaknovsky allegedly removed the patient’s liver instead of the spleen, resulting in severe bleeding. Efforts by medical personnel to stabilise Bryan, including emergency blood transfusion, proved unsuccessful as he later went into cardiac arrest.
The surgeon, however, maintained that the patient suffered a ruptured spleen aneurysm which triggered the fatal bleeding, a claim said to be inconsistent with accounts from other members of the surgical team.
The incident has drawn scrutiny to the surgeon’s professional record, as reports indicated that he had previously faced disciplinary action over a separate medical error in 2023.
Authorities say the case underscores growing concerns over medical accountability, as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the fatal surgery continue.