Florida surgeon removed wrong organ, killing man -- and a cover-up followed, suit says

[Zorro]

The family of a man who died because a Florida surgeon removed his liver instead of his spleen is suing, saying hospital staff took part in a cover-up to hide the true cause of their loved one’s death.

During what was supposed to be a splenectomy, Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky cut into William Bryan’s liver – and kept dissecting the organ as he was bleeding out at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Walton County on Aug. 21, an emergency order issued by Florida’s surgeon general said.

Then he put a “readily-identifiable liver” on the operating room table and said it was Bryan’s spleen, according to the order, McClatchy News previously reported. Bryan was 70 when he died.

State Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo suspended Shaknovsky’s license over “repeated egregious surgical errors resulting in significant patient harm” in connection with Bryan and other patients, the order said.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2025/02/08/florida-surgeon-license-liver-spleen-removal/

I'm no surgeon, but I think even I could differentiate between a liver and a spleen.

[hlthe2b]

1. JHC! I cannot even believe this and I've seen my share of spleens and livers--even pathologically abnormal ones..

The man who died was 70. I'd like to know more about the surgeon--including their age/training specifics...

Even with enlarged, neoplastic, or atrophied organs-- this is still not believable as a "simple" error.

to that poor man and his family...

Ironically, FL Surgeon General Ladapo was the one to approve the actions against this doctor. Yet "Dr." Ladapo should likewise have his license permanently revoked and removed from his position because of all the damage he has done with respect to his COVID lies/policies and dismantling of even basic public health procedures/principles.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Spleen is on the left, liver on the right.

They differ in color, and particularly in size.

[70sEraVet]

3. The

The lawsuit over Bryan’s death seeks more than $50,000 in damages for loss of companionship and protection, mental pain and suffering, funeral expenses, medical expenses and more, the complaint shows.

(same article)

Does anyone know if the wording in this article of "more than $50,000..." is some monetary boundary commonly used in reporting lawsuits, or if the amount of the suit is really just a little more than $50,000? Because $50,000 sounds like a mere pittance for such a negligent act resulting in death. More like $50 million, I would think.

[IbogaProject]

8. Probably a legal formality

Often there is a threshold to sue for unlinited damages.

[3Hotdogs]

4. Florida is where physicians with suspended licenses go to practice.

If you get sick in Florida, get on a plane and so somewhere else.


Florida, a Republican state, implements the Republican Health Care Act: "Don't get sick.

---and if you do get sick,

Die fast."

[Wonder Why]

5. If you get sick OF Florida, you should also leave. 😁

[JoseBalow]

6. Best decision I ever made!

[mitch96]

7. Classic. A lawyer friend of mine told story of a surgeon who tried to remove a tumor in the neck. It was wrapped

around the carotid, the big blood vessels going from the heart to the brain. He was way over his head and should have closed up and referred the patient to a vascular surgeon. He did not. He tried to remove the tumor and nicked the carotid with the associated massive blood loss. A vascular surgeon was working in the next OR suit and came to help.
After the vascular surgeon finished and saved the mans life the first surgeon had the AUDACITY to say he was just ASSISTING the vascular surgeon and he was just "#2"... Needless to say the truth came out at the law suit and the first idiot got bounced... Last I heard he was up in the panhandle somewhere after the insurance company paid a hefty settlement.
Be careful out there...
m