Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky removes the liver of the deceased, not the spleen: Lawyer
The family of an Alabama man says 70-year-old William Bryan died after his liver was accidentally removed during treatment at a Florida hospital where Bryan’s spleen was removed.
Bryan went to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Walton County on Aug. 18 for a splenectomy, according to a report of the operation obtained by USA TODAY through Joe Zarzaur, the attorney for the Bryan family.
Thomas Shaknovsky, a surgeon at the hospital, performed the procedure after discussing the “risks, benefits and alternatives” with Bryan and his wife, Beverly, the surgery report said. Once the procedure was completed, instead of removing Bryan’s spleen as planned, his liver was removed, according to the autopsy report that Zarzaur provided to USA TODAY.
“I have the pleasure of representing Mrs. Bryan and her family. Unfortunately, we are representing her in one of the worst cases of cruelty that I have ever seen,” Zarzaur said at a news conference on Tuesday.
An Ascension spokesperson sent an emailed statement to USA TODAY on Tuesday saying: “We take allegations like this very seriously, and our leadership team is conducting a thorough investigation into this incident.
“Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast has a long history of providing safe, quality care since the hospital opened its doors in 2001,” the statement said. “Patient safety is and remains our number one priority. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. We hold the privacy of our patients in the highest regard. We do not speak of specific patient cases or practical cases.”
The medical examiner found the spleen still in William Bryan’s body during the autopsy
Before the surgery, Bryan began experiencing “severe abdominal pain” while on vacation with his wife at their home in Destin, Florida, according to Zarzaur. Shaknovsky was diagnosed with hemoperitoneum and a splenic injury, or bleeding from the spleen, the autopsy report said.
Beverly Bryan initially chose to hold off on surgery until the couple returned home to Alabama, but she said Shaknovsky told her husband that he would bleed to death if he left in her condition. home, Zarzaur said.
During the operation of Aug. 21, Bryan died of massive blood loss following the removal of his large spleen, according to the autopsy report.
“The case was discussed at length with the patient’s wife and family and they were updated with unpleasant facts,” the report continued. “All events surrounding the surgery were discussed with the family. All questions were answered.”
After the operation, the pathologist realized that the removed organ labeled “spleen” was actually liver tissue, according to Zarzaur. Once the autopsy was performed, the medical examiner determined that Bryan’s liver was gone and his spleen was still in his body with a cyst attached to it, the attorney said. said.
“The spleen had a small cyst in it that had a lot of blood around it, but it wasn’t fatal,” Zarzaur said. “It was a normal looking cyst. It probably should have been cured.”
‘They took him from us’
Beverly Bryan spoke during a news conference on Tuesday and called her 33-year-old husband “such a good man.”
She says: “I was lucky enough to be the wife of William Bryan, also known as Bill Bryan, and I will always be grateful for the time I had with him. “We have three children (and) eight grandchildren and they are grateful for the time they had with him.”
Beverly Bryan said her family is “heartbroken and angry that Bill is gone because of the ignorance of the doctors involved in the mess at Ascension Hospital.”
He said: “They took him from us unable to do anything on the operating table.” “They removed his liver instead of his spleen, so he bled to death on the operating table.”
She called her husband’s death “unnecessary and cruel” and said her family and their Alabama community were “devastated.”
Beverly Bryan said: “He brought joy to every life he touched. “He was the best husband and father I could have asked for….I will get through this. and I will be strong for him because he deserves justice for this.”
Will Thomas Shaknovsky face criminal and civil charges?
The complaint had not been filed as of Tuesday because, according to Florida law, a six-to-nine-month process must take place before filing a legal case in court, Zarzaur said. Bryan and Zarzaur’s family intend to file a lawsuit, they said, but the concern now is that Shaknovsky is still practicing medicine, according to the attorney.
“This doctor was still treating patients, and obviously he still had access to hospitals and operating rooms, which I don’t think they should be doing,” Zarzaur said. “Mrs. Bryan obviously doesn’t feel like she needs to set foot in a hospital or an operating room again.”
The medical board could take months to revoke Shaknovsky’s medical license, according to Zarzaur. The lawyer says he is still meeting with people who told him they saw the surgeon last week.
The criminal investigation is ongoing, Zarzaur said, adding that all questions should be directed to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office sent an emailed statement to USA TODAY on Tuesday.
“The Walton County Sheriff’s Office along with the 1st District Medical Examiner’s Office and the State’s Attorney’s Office are reviewing the facts surrounding William Bryan’s death to determine if a crime was committed, ” the statement said. “At this time, it would be wrong to say that criminal charges have been filed.”
“Our agency asks for the public’s patience as these cases are very complex and take time to investigate. The only reliable source of information about any criminal case will come from our office .At this time, any records related to this case have been released so as not to interfere with the ongoing investigation.”
Thomas Shaknovsky is involved in a surgery accident in 2023
Another incident involving Shaknovsky was solved in 2023 when he intended to remove an adrenal gland from someone’s kidney, but ended up removing part of their pancreas, Zarzaur said.
The case was settled for a private amount, so no lawsuit was filed against the surgeon or Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital, according to the attorney.
“That was swept under the rug,” he said. “Here we are on trial after that.”
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