A Florida surgeon accused of removing the wrong organ during a fatal operation has spoken about the devastating incident for the first time.
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Thomas Shaknovsky, 44, faces a charge of second-degree manslaughter after allegedly removing the liver of William Bryan, 70, instead of his spleen during a laparoscopic splenectomy in August 2024.
Bryan died on the operating table after suffering catastrophic blood loss.
Florida Surgeon Speaks on Fatal Operation
Questions continue to surround exactly what happened during the surgery.
Shaknovsky has not addressed the case publicly outside of a deposition given in November, which has now surfaced through NBC News.
"That was an incredibly unfortunate event that I regret deeply, and I'm forever traumatized by it and hurt by it," he said, according to a transcript of the deposition shared with NBC News.
Shaknovsky stated that wrong-site surgeries can happen "during difficult circumstances."
He claimed Bryan's abdomen and enlarged colon obstructed his view during the procedure, making it difficult to identify surrounding organs.
According to the report, Shaknovsky said Bryan began bleeding heavily while the surgical team attempted to gain a clearer view, creating a chaotic scene in the operating room as staff performed chest compressions.
It was during this period that Shaknovsky allegedly removed Bryan's liver instead of his spleen.
Deposition Reveals Emotional Response After Patient's Death
NBC News reports that Shaknovsky later instructed a nurse to label the removed organ as a spleen.
"I can't explain to you what it's like for a surgeon to lose a patient on a table and how demoralizing it is and how devastating it is. And I couldn't tell the difference because I was so upset," he added, according to the deposition transcript.
"It's a devastating thing, which I will have to live with the rest of my life... and I think about it every single day."
A medical examiner later concluded that Bryan died from massive blood loss linked to the surgical removal of his liver, according to the death certificate.
Bryan initially sought treatment at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Miramar Beach after experiencing pain in the lower left side of his abdomen.
Reports suggest Bryan had expressed hesitation about undergoing surgery before the procedure, though Shaknovsky allegedly encouraged him to move forward with the operation.
Following the incident, Shaknovsky lost his medical license. He had previously practiced as an osteopathic physician.
