A Florida surgeon faces manslaughter charges after allegedly removing a patient’s liver instead of his spleen during what should have been routine surgery, resulting in the patient’s death on the operating table from catastrophic blood loss.
Fatal Mistake During Emergency Surgery
Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, 44, was indicted by a grand jury on second-degree manslaughter charges connected to the August 2024 death of a 70-year-old Alabama man. Prosecutors say Shaknovsky removed the patient’s liver during a scheduled laparoscopic splenectomy, causing immediate catastrophic blood loss. The patient died on the operating table. Authorities arrested Shaknovsky at his Miramar Beach home Monday morning and transported him to Walton County Jail ahead of his Tuesday court appearance.
Pattern of Alleged Malpractice Emerges
Court filings reveal this wasn’t an isolated incident. The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners accused Shaknovsky of removing part of a patient’s pancreas during a May 2023 surgery meant to remove an adrenal gland. In July 2023, he allegedly removed part of another patient’s intestine, causing a perforation that led to the patient’s death. Shaknovsky settled the May 2023 malpractice claim for $400,000. Despite these allegations, his public records indicate he never had medical staff privileges restricted or revoked within the past decade.
Pressure Tactics and Questionable Conduct
The 70-year-old victim initially sought treatment for abdominal pain. Imaging showed a suspected enlarged spleen and blood in the peritoneum with no active bleeding. For two days, the patient resisted surgery, wanting to return home to Alabama. Court documents state Shaknovsky continued pressuring the patient, who finally agreed on the third day. During the operation, the patient went into cardiac arrest, but Shaknovsky continued the procedure. He claimed the patient died from a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm, but the autopsy found no such rupture. Instead, examiners discovered the patient’s spleen remained untouched while his liver was missing.
Medical Licenses Suspended Nationwide
Following the deadly surgery, Alabama’s Medical Licensure Commission revoked Shaknovsky’s license in 2024. His Florida medical license was also suspended that same year, followed by the suspension of his New York license in 2025. Shaknovsky graduated from Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2009. He could not be reached for comment, and it remains unclear whether he has retained legal representation. The State Attorney’s Office for the First Judicial Circuit has not responded to requests for additional information about the case.