A Florida surgeon who allegedly caused the death of a patient by removing his liver instead of his spleen was arrested while driving a Lyft vehicle, according to video footage released by authorities.
Arrest Details
Deputies from the Walton County Sheriff's Office tracked down Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky on April 13 as he was driving a Mitsubishi SUV in Miramar Beach, Florida. The officers pulled him from the vehicle and placed him in handcuffs, while Shaknovsky informed them that he had passengers in the back seat. He now faces a charge of second-degree manslaughter.
The Fatal Surgery
Prosecutors allege that in August 2024, Shaknovsky performed surgery on William Bryan, a 70-year-old man from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The procedure was intended to be a laparoscopic splenectomy, but instead of removing the spleen, Shaknovsky removed the patient's liver. This error led to catastrophic blood loss and Bryan's death on the operating table.
Following the surgery, the State of Florida suspended Shaknovsky's medical license. He also surrendered his medical license in Alabama after regulators initiated proceedings to revoke it.
Previous Incident
This was not the first time a patient died under Shaknovsky's care. In 2023, Dorothy Dorsett, also 70, died after undergoing surgery performed by the doctor. She was admitted to the hospital in July of that year suffering from abdominal pain. According to her son, Weyman Dorsett, she was in good health prior to the procedure.
Dorsett was diagnosed with gastrointestinal bleeding and acute blood loss anemia. Shaknovsky met with the family and was described by Dorsett as "odd." The surgeon prayed by his mother's bed before the surgery, which Dorsett found excessive. Shaknovsky performed a colonoscopy, discovered a tumor in Dorothy's digestive tract, and removed it on July 27. However, he did not perform a routine test to check for leaks after the surgery. Although the doctor told the family the surgery "went great," Dorothy's condition deteriorated rapidly, and she died on August 4.
Weyman Dorsett recalled his mother's final words: "It is what it is. I've lived a good life." He added, "I had to sit there and watch her die."
Legal Proceedings
Shaknovsky is currently in custody awaiting trial for the manslaughter charge. The case has drawn widespread attention due to the nature of the surgical error and the circumstances of his arrest.
