An Alabama man tragically lost his life at a Destin hospital after a surgeon mistakenly removed his liver instead of his spleen, leading to catastrophic blood loss. The incident left his wife of 33 years heartbroken and advocating for civil and criminal charges against the surgeon.

“I don’t want anyone else to die due to his incompetence at a hospital that should have known or knew he had previously made drastic, life-altering surgical mistakes,” she said at a press conference.

The man, William Bryan, a 70-year-old from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, was visiting his condo in Destin, Florida, when he began experiencing severe pain on his left side. 

He was subsequently admitted to the Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Miramar Beach due to suspected spleen issues. Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky operated on him on August 21, 2024, causing William to pass away on the operating table.

A 70-year-old man from Alabama lost his life in a Destin hospital after his surgeon mistakenly removed his liver instead of his spleen. His wife is pressing charges

Image credits: sudok1/stock.adobe.com

Beverly Bryan, his wife, felt that something was wrong when she received the initial diagnosis. Being a nurse, she wanted her husband to return home for the procedure, but both Dr. Shaknovsky and the hospital’s chief officer, Dr. Christopher Bacani, persuaded William to remain in Florida, telling them that moving that far could cause internal bleeding.

Bacani’s prediction would later become a reality, not because of any of the couple’s actions but due to his own team’s negligence.

Image credits: Zack Pinkard

“It’s one of the most egregious cases of medical malpractice that I’ve ever been involved with,” stated the couple’s attorney, Joe Zarzaur. “The doctors kept suggesting that it was too dangerous to move him, that his spleen could rupture, and they needed to go forward with the procedure.”

Medical records provided by the attorney show that the doctor did not realize his mistake during the surgery and labeled the removed liver as a “spleen.” It wasn’t until a pathologist examined the tissue that the error was discovered, but it was already too late.

Image credits: Zack Pinkard

The source of William’s pain was actually a small cyst on his spleen, which is thought to have caused his initial discomfort. Dr. Shaknovsky instead cut the major vasculature supplying the liver, immediately causing his patient’s death.

Dr. Shaknovsky had already made a grave mistake while operating on another patient in 2023. The case was quietly settled for an undisclosed amount, according to investigations

Image credits: Zack Pinkard

Beverly’s case against the surgeon is supported by the fact that in 2023, the doctor had already made a critical surgical error.

He mistakenly removed part of a patient’s pancreas instead of performing an adrenal gland resection. The case was quietly settled, and, despite the gravity of the mistake, Shaknovsky was allowed to continue his practice at the same hospital.

“I know I’m not the only wife that has lost her husband suddenly, but the loss of my Bill was exceptionally unnecessary and brutal,” Beverly stated, hoping that her pursuit of charges against the surgeon will result in him not being able to treat any other patients in the future.

 

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“Our family and community is devastated by what’s happened and we feel that it is our duty to spread awareness and warn others.”

The case is being investigated by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the District 1 Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Office of the State Attorney to determine if any criminal actions occurred.

The Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital issued a statement expressing its condolences and emphasizing its commitment to safety, but it made no comment on the status of the offending surgeon

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“Our leadership team is performing a thorough investigation into this event. We take allegations like this very seriously. Patient safety is and remains our number one priority,” the establishment said.

In his defense, Shaknovsky said that William’s spleen was so diseased that it was four times bigger than usual, causing it to migrate to the other side of the patient’s body. The attorney, however, believes this to be further proof of the surgeon’s mistake.

Image credits: Zack Pinkard

“Typical human anatomy dictates that the liver naturally exists on the opposite side of the abdominal cavity, and it is several times larger than the spleen,” Zarzaur said.

Despite the words of sympathy, the hospital has not made clear whether Shaknovsky will continue working at the premises, which worries the attorney.

 

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“I can’t tell you whether he’s practicing medicine as of today, but I know he’s been around in the last week or so,” Zarzaur stated. 

“I think the major concern for me, and the reason I felt like a press release was necessary, was that this doctor was still treating patients and apparently still had access to hospitals and operating rooms, which I don’t think he should.”

Despite his previous mistake, the hospital hasn’t let the surgeon go, which angered readers who sympathized with the wife’s pain and helplessness

Image credits: Zack Pinkard

Netizens lamented the passing of William Bryan and offered their condolences to the grieving wife. Most also called for the immediate suspension of those responsible.

“This is so sad. The doctor should immediately be suspended and reported to the licensing board,” one stated.

“This is incredibly sad. I can’t imagine this ever happening. This guy should not only lose his license to practice any type of medicine but he should face charges,” another said.

“Completely heartbreaking for that family. Hopefully this doctor gets fired and faces criminal charges,” wrote one reader.

“This was the second ‘mistake‘ that the doctor had made. The first one settled for an undisclosed amount,” another pointed out.

“This doctor has done this before in another case in 2023. Why is he still allowed in a hospital setting? Why is he still allowed to treat patients!?” asked a reader in disbelief.

“Take this butcher’s license away,” wrote one reader, as others joined in to demand the removal of the surgeon from the hospital

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