Surgeon Accused of Removing Wrong Organ Faces Manslaughter Charge

A Florida-based surgeon has been charged with manslaughter following a fatal surgical error in which he allegedly removed the wrong organ during a medical procedure, leading to a patient’s death.

According to multiple reports, a grand jury indicted Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, on a second-degree manslaughter charge over the incident, which occurred in August 2024 in Florida. Prosecutors say the doctor mistakenly removed a patient’s liver instead of the spleen during what was intended to be a routine laparoscopic splenectomy.

The patient, a 70-year-old man from Alabama, died on the operating table due to what authorities described as “catastrophic blood loss” resulting from the error.

Investigators say the procedure took place at a hospital in the Florida Panhandle, where the patient had been admitted after experiencing abdominal pain. Despite initial reluctance to undergo surgery, reports indicate the procedure was eventually carried out, ending in tragedy.

Authorities allege the surgeon failed to recognize the mistake during the operation, and the error ultimately proved fatal. In the aftermath, his medical license in Florida was suspended, and he also surrendered or lost licenses in other states.

Law enforcement officials confirmed that the doctor was taken into custody following the indictment and is expected to face trial. If convicted, he could face significant prison time under Florida law.

The case has sparked renewed concerns about surgical safety standards and oversight in the U.S. healthcare, with experts noting the rarity but severe consequences of such medical errors.