MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama Medical Licensure Commission has temporarily Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky’s license to practice medicine in Alabama following the September death of a patient in Florida. Shaknovsky allegedly removed a patient’s liver instead of the spleen during what was meant to be a splenectomy at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital, which led to the patient's death.
A hearing will take place Dec. 18 to determine whether Shaknovsky’s medical license should be revoked. According to the Licensure Commission’s order, Dr. Shaknovsky “may constitute an immediate danger to his patients and the public.”
According to the Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners, the suspension was initiated after the group filed a complaint against Dr. Shaknovsky, prompting the Commission’s decision.
Zarzaur Law P.A. says William Bryan, 70, and his wife, Beverly, were visiting their rental property in Okaloosa County before Bryan started experiencing pain on the left side of his body. After arriving at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital, Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky and Dr. Christopher Bacani persuaded him to undergo surgery for his spleen.
During the surgery on Aug. 21, Dr. Shaknovsky removed Bryan's liver, mistaking it for his spleen, according to the law firm. The mistake caused "immediate and catastrophic blood loss," leading to Bryan's death.
Now, Beverly Bryan is pushing for both criminal and civil charges against the doctor to get justice for her husband, the law firm said.
"My husband died while helpless on the operating room table by Dr. Shaknovsky," Beverly stated in the post. "I don’t want anyone else to die due to his incompetence at a hospital that should have known or knew he had previously made drastic, life-altering surgical mistakes.”
Zarzaur Law P.A. says this isn't Dr. Shaknovsky's first "wrong-site surgery." In 2023, he allegedly removed a portion of a patient's pancreas by mistake while performing surgery on their adrenal gland.
After Bryan's death, the medical examiner found a small cyst on his spleen, which is believed to be the original cause of his pain, according to the law firm.
In another Facebook post, personal injury attorney Joe Zarzaur announced that another hospital, North Walton Doctor's Hospital "officially disassociated" with Dr. Shaknovsky.
"They have removed him from their webpage as a provider," Zarzaur said in the post. "And there was a Facebook post that they have now taken down that had him listed as a director of surgery. That's also been removed."
Shortly after the incident, Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital said it was investigating Bryan's death.
“We take allegations like this very seriously, and our leadership team is performing a thorough investigation into this event. Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast has a longstanding history of providing safe, quality care since the hospital opened its doors in 2003,” the statement read. “Patient safety is and remains our number one priority. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family. We hold the privacy of our patients in the highest regard. We do not comment on specific patient cases or active litigation.”
