In a tragic turn of events, an Alabama husband lost his life on the operating table in Florida due to a grave medical error. The incident occurred when the doctor mistakenly removed the man’s liver during surgery instead of addressing concerns about an abnormality in his spleen. The lawyer representing the man’s widow, Beverly Bryan, revealed this shocking information.
William Bryan and his wife were visiting their rental property in Okaloosa County, Florida when he suddenly experienced intense pain in his lower left abdomen. Concerned about this unusual symptom, he was admitted to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Walton County for further tests. The law firm, Zarzaur Law P.A., shared this heartbreaking story on their Facebook page.
Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, a general surgeon, along with Dr. Christopher Bacani, the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer, convinced the hesitant Bryan family that surgery was necessary to prevent serious complications if he left the hospital. Trusting their expertise, Bryan agreed to undergo a hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy procedure on August 21.
Tragically, during the surgery, Dr. Shaknovsky mistakenly removed Bryan’s liver instead of his spleen. This error resulted in immediate and catastrophic blood loss that led to Bryan’s untimely death. Shockingly, the surgeon mislabeled the organ he removed as a spleen, only to later realize it was, in fact, a liver.
Dr. Shaknovsky attempted to explain the mistake to Beverly Bryan by claiming that her husband’s “spleen” was abnormally enlarged and had moved to the other side of his body. However, the anatomical reality is that the liver is located on the upper right side of the abdomen, below the diaphragm, while the spleen is positioned on the upper left side, next to the stomach. The liver is significantly larger and heavier than the spleen, weighing between 1,100 and 1,400 grams more. It is roughly the size of a fist.
This shocking incident is not the first time Dr. Shaknovsky has been involved in a “wrong-site surgery.” In 2023, he allegedly removed a portion of a patient’s pancreas instead of performing the intended adrenal gland resection. The details of that case were settled privately, raising concerns about Dr. Shaknovsky’s competence and surgical skills.
Beverly Bryan, devastated by her husband’s death, has hired Zarzaur Law to seek justice and ensure that Dr. Shaknovsky no longer puts other patients’ lives at risk. In a statement through the law firm, she expressed her desire for both civil and criminal proceedings related to her husband’s tragic death. The North Walton Doctor’s Hospital has distanced itself from Dr. Shaknovsky, removing all references to him from their website.
Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital, where the surgery took place, is conducting an investigation into Bryan’s death. They have expressed their commitment to patient safety and privacy while offering condolences to the grieving family. However, they have not provided any further details about the incident.
In a cruel twist of fate, it was later discovered that an apparent small cyst on William Bryan’s spleen was the root cause of the pain that led to his hospitalization. This revelation only adds to the tragedy of his unnecessary death.
This heartbreaking story serves as a stark reminder of the importance of patient safety and the need for thorough investigations into medical errors. It raises questions about the accountability and oversight of medical professionals in ensuring the well-being of their patients. The Bryan family’s pursuit of justice not only seeks closure for their loss but also aims to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
