Florida Doctor Surrenders Alabama License After Wrong-Organ Surgery Leads to Patient’s Death

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Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, the Florida surgeon accused of mistakenly removing the liver of a Muscle Shoals man during a surgery intended to remove his spleen, has surrendered his medical license in Alabama.
On Monday, the Alabama Medical Licensure Commission accepted Dr. Shaknovsky’s full license surrender, weeks after the death of 70-year-old William "Bill" Bryan. The commission had previously suspended his license in October, citing concerns that his continued practice posed “an immediate danger to his patients and the public.”
Bryan and his wife, Beverly, were in Destin, Florida, on Aug. 19 when Bryan experienced pain on his left side. A Florida doctor diagnosed him with a spleen issue and insisted on performing emergency surgery. Despite Beverly's plea to return home for treatment in Alabama, the doctor warned that Bryan would “bleed to death” if moved.
On Aug. 21, Dr. Shaknovsky performed the operation but removed Bryan’s liver instead of his spleen, resulting in Bryan’s death on the operating table. A pathologist later confirmed that the organ labeled as Bryan's spleen was, in fact, his liver.
The tragedy has triggered investigations by both the Florida Department of Health and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Florida health officials suspended Dr. Shaknovsky’s medical license on Sept. 24 after reviewing this case and another in May 2023, where he allegedly removed part of a patient’s pancreas instead of the adrenal gland during surgery, causing permanent harm.
Dr. Shaknovsky, licensed in Alabama since 2016, has faced prior allegations of surgical errors. According to attorney Joe Zarzaur, this was not the first case of a wrong-site surgery involving Dr. Shaknovsky; a previous case from 2023 was reportedly settled.
“Everyone knows you can’t live without your liver. It’s like pulling out someone’s heart,” Beverly said.
The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners filed the complaint leading to the suspension and ultimate surrender of Shaknovsky’s license.
“Our duty is to ensure that physicians licensed in Alabama meet the highest standards of patient care,” said William M. Perkins, Executive Director of the board. “When a physician’s actions jeopardize patient safety, we act decisively to safeguard the public.”
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the medical examiner and State Attorney’s Office, is investigating the case to determine if criminal charges will be filed.
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