Florida Surgeon Removes Liver Instead of Spleen, Faces License Suspension and Legal Action

A Florida surgeon, Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, has had his medical license suspended after being accused of removing the wrong organ during surgery, resulting in a patient’s death. The Florida Department of Health, along with Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, issued an emergency suspension order following two botched surgeries and alleged attempts by Shaknovsky to conceal his mistakes.

In the first incident, a patient identified as “G.D.” was scheduled to have his adrenal gland removed. However, Shaknovsky mistakenly took out part of the patient’s pancreas, causing irreversible harm. When questioned, Shaknovsky claimed that the adrenal gland had “migrated” within the body—an explanation the health department dismissed as “medically implausible.”

The second case involved 70-year-old William Bryan, who underwent surgery to address an abnormal spleen. Operating room staff had raised concerns about Shaknovsky’s competence before the surgery, which worsened after he arrived an hour late. During the procedure, he “blindly” used a stapling device and mistakenly removed Bryan’s liver, believing it was the spleen. Staff members were reportedly horrified by the error.

The health department found Shaknovsky’s actions, including falsifying records and refusing to acknowledge his mistakes, reflected either a “lack of understanding” or “lack of integrity.” Due to concerns about his reckless conduct, his medical license was suspended. Bryan’s family is planning to pursue legal action following the completion of Florida’s pre-litigation process for medical malpractice claims.