A Florida surgeon has had his medical license suspended following accusations of removing the wrong organ during surgery, resulting in a patient’s death.
According to media reports, the Florida Department of Health and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo issued an emergency suspension for Dr Thomas Shaknovsky, citing two serious surgical errors and attempts to conceal his mistakes.
Botched surgeries and false explanations
The first case involved a patient referred to as “G.D.,” who was scheduled for adrenal gland removal. However, Dr Shaknovsky mistakenly removed part of the patient’s pancreas, leaving him with permanent damage. When questioned, Shaknovsky claimed the adrenal gland had “migrated” within the patient’s body, an explanation the health department described as “medically implausible.”
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The second case centered on William Bryan, a 70-year-old patient undergoing surgery for an abnormal spleen. Operating room staff had expressed concerns about Dr. Shaknovsky’s ability to perform the procedure safely.
Arriving an hour late to the surgery, Shaknovsky reportedly fired a stapling device blindly into Bryan’s abdomen. He then removed an organ he believed to be the spleen, which was later identified as the liver. Staff members were shocked, with one reportedly feeling “sick to their stomach” upon realising the mistake.
Falsified records and pending lawsuit
The health department’s investigation concluded that Shaknovsky’s refusal to admit his errors suggested either a “lack of clinical understanding” or “lack of integrity.” His falsification of medical records led the department to believe that his “reckless conduct is likely to continue.”
Bryan’s family plans to file a civil lawsuit against the surgeon after completing Florida’s mandatory pre-litigation process for medical malpractice cases.
