Florida doctor charged with manslaughter in patient death describes chaotic scene in deposition
A former surgeon in Florida facing a criminal charge of second degree manslaughter said he was so distraught after removing his patient’s liver instead of the spleen that he “couldn’t tell the difference.”
During an eight-hour deposition obtained by NBC News, Thomas Shaknovsky, MD, reportedly told lawyers representing the plaintiffs in an upcoming lawsuit that he did not mean to remove the wrong organ—contributing to the death of William Bryan, 70—and that he only told a nurse to label the extracted liver as a “spleen” because he was so upset.
Shanknovsky claimed that Bryan’s August 21, 2024 laparoscopic splenectomy was complicated by internal bleeding and an enlarged colon that obstructed the view of other organs. As the surgeon tried to get a better view to identify and extract the spleen while stopping the bleeding, he said in the deposition that Bryan had a heart attack.
As the abdomen of his patient filled with blood, Shanknovsky said he panicked and removed the liver, effectively sealing Bryan’s fate.
Notably, a liver is substantially larger than a spleen and located on the other side of the body.
Shanknovsky stated he was in a state of shock over having a patient die on the operating table, which contributed to the confusion. He added that other clinical staff were actively performing chest compressions during the chaos.
The doctor said he was left “devastated, demoralized, crying over his passing,” feeling as though he had failed Bryan.
NBC said the deposition is roughly 400 pages long. To date, Shaknovsky has not publicly commented on the incident or pending civil and criminal cases.
The deposition, which was shared with NBC in the form of a transcript, occurred in November.
The outlet said attorneys representing Shaknovsky declined to offer any comment, citing pending litigation. Through court filings, the surgeon has denied any intentional wrongdoing in the civil case.
For more, read NBC’s full coverage.
Shaknovsky pleads not guilty to manslaughter
In April, a grand jury formally indicted Shaknovsky after finding there was probable cause for an arrest on the charge of manslaughter in the second degree.
This came after prosecutors presented evidence during the hearing, including a statement from a medical examiner who concluded that Bryan bled to death as a result of “surgical removal of the liver.”
His death certificate also confirms this as the formal cause of death.
While the full timeline of events is unclear, Shaknovsky implied in the malpractice lawsuit deposition that Bryan was already bleeding to death prior to the liver being removed. If presented as part of his defense, it could clash with the medical examiner's report.
After the grand jury indictment, Shaknovsky was arrested by police. He was working as a Doordash driver at the time he was taken into custody.
After Bryan’s death, Shaknovsky lost his license to practice medicine in multiple states, including Florida.
He entered a formal plea of not guilty at arraignment and is out on bond awaiting trial.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.