Florida surgeon faces manslaughter charge after fatal wrong-organ

Published: 09 May 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

A Florida-based surgeon facing criminal charges has described himself as “forever traumatized” following the death of a patient who died after a catastrophic surgical error in which the wrong organ was allegedly removed.

The case involves surgeon Thomas Shaknovsky and patient William Bryan, whose death has triggered both a criminal investigation and a civil malpractice lawsuit in the United States.

Bryan, 70, died on the operating table after what authorities and court filings describe as a severe medical mistake during surgery. A grand jury in Tallahassee has indicted Shaknovsky on a manslaughter charge, marking a significant escalation in the legal consequences surrounding the case.

In a deposition taken in November and later obtained by NBC, Shaknovsky expressed deep remorse over the incident, describing Bryan’s death as an “incredibly unfortunate event” that he regretted profoundly. He told attorneys that he remains emotionally affected, saying he is “forever traumatized” and continues to think about the case daily.

The central allegation in both criminal and civil proceedings is that Shaknovsky mistakenly removed Bryan’s liver instead of his spleen during surgery. According to court documents and deposition testimony, the mistake led to catastrophic internal bleeding that ultimately proved fatal.

Shaknovsky stated during questioning that after removing the organ, he instructed a nurse to label it as a spleen and also recorded it as such in postoperative notes. He later acknowledged that this documentation was incorrect but said his judgment had been affected by the intense pressure and emotional distress in the operating room.

He further testified that he was “mentally compromised” during the procedure and described the situation as chaotic, with heavy bleeding making it difficult to determine the source of the problem. According to his account, medical staff performed emergency chest compressions as Bryan’s condition rapidly deteriorated.

Describing the emergency response, Shaknovsky said the operating room situation was extremely difficult to control. He compared the effort to locate the source of bleeding to trying to find a small object in a flooded and obstructed space, explaining that he was unable to identify the exact cause amid the crisis.

Bryan’s widow, Beverly Bryan, has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit alleging negligence and misconduct. The lawsuit claims that the surgeon not only made a fatal error but also attempted to conceal the mistake by failing to properly document the removal of the liver, a claim supported by statements referenced in court filings reported by NBC.

According to the lawsuit, the omission of accurate surgical details may have been intended to avoid accountability for what the family describes as gross negligence. The legal complaint also argues that proper medical procedures and checks were not followed during the operation.

Law enforcement officials in Florida have also weighed in on the case. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office stated earlier this year that the surgical error resulted in catastrophic blood loss, ultimately leading to Bryan’s death on the operating table. Investigators have characterized the incident as a preventable medical failure with fatal consequences.

During his deposition, Shaknovsky repeatedly expressed emotional distress, stating that he was devastated after realizing the outcome. He said that after the surgery, he isolated himself in a hospital medical library, where he broke down in tears away from colleagues and staff.

He also acknowledged that he believed Bryan’s spleen may have been unusually enlarged due to a suspected medical condition, although this claim is disputed in the lawsuit. The medical examiner reportedly informed Bryan’s family that the spleen was close to normal size, raising further questions about the surgeon’s assessment during the procedure.

The case has drawn significant attention in the United States due to the rare nature of the alleged error and the severity of its consequences. Wrong-site surgeries are considered among the most serious preventable medical mistakes in healthcare, often leading to both disciplinary action and criminal investigation when patient death occurs.

If convicted of manslaughter, Shaknovsky could face up to 15 years in prison and a financial penalty of up to $10,000. Legal proceedings are ongoing, and both the criminal and civil cases are expected to continue as additional medical records and expert testimony are reviewed.

The incident has also reignited broader discussions within the medical community about surgical oversight, operating room protocols, and the safeguards designed to prevent such errors. Patient safety advocates have long emphasized the importance of strict verification procedures before and during surgery to reduce the risk of wrong-organ operations.

For Bryan’s family, the case remains a deeply personal tragedy now unfolding through the legal system. As proceedings move forward, both accountability and systemic medical practices are expected to come under scrutiny in court.