SURGEON LICENSE SUSPENDED AFTER REMOVING THE WRONG ORGAN

William Bryan (left) and his wife Beverly Bryan (right) (Zarzaur Law).

After multiple wrong-site surgeries that resulted in permanent harm or death — including a procedure in which a patient’s liver was removed instead of his spleen — Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky's license to practice osteopathic medicine in Florida has been suspended by the state's Department of Health and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo.

The suspension order detailed the troubling circumstances surrounding two botched surgeries performed by Dr. Shaknovsky. In one case, a 58-year-old patient scheduled for surgery to remove his left adrenal gland had a portion of his pancreas mistakenly removed instead. When confronted with the error, Shaknovsky tried to attribute it to the adrenal gland "migrating" within the patient's body, causing permanent harm.

The order also described another case involving a 70-year-old patient who came in for a spleen-related emergency surgery. Concerns were raised by medical staff about Shaknovsky's skill level and the complexity of the procedure. During the surgery, Shaknovsky arrived late and made decisions that led to the wrong organ being removed. The order noted discrepancies between Shaknovsky's reports and witness accounts, highlighting potential fabrications in medical records.

The Department of Health found that Shaknovsky's failure to admit his errors demonstrated either a lack of clinical understanding or integrity. The order emphasized concerns about his reckless conduct and the likelihood of it continuing. The decision to suspend his license was deemed necessary to protect public safety given the severity of the errors and the fabrication of medical records.

Additionally, the order mentioned that the surgeon is facing a civil lawsuit filed by the family of a patient who died due to the surgical error. It was noted that under Florida law, a pre-litigation process must precede the filing of any medical malpractice lawsuit following a death.

This case underscores the importance of accountability and competence in the medical field to prevent catastrophic mistakes like these from reoccurring and to ensure patient safety. The full order by the Department of Health can be accessed for more detailed information.