The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) released a 47-page report after interviewing witnesses and a surgeon after an Alabama man died from a mistaken liver removal.
William Dale "Bill" Bryan, 70, of Muscle Shoals, died during what was supposed to be a splenectomy at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Florida.
A pathologist later confirmed the organ removed was a liver and not a spleen.
The surgeon, Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, had a previous mistaken organ removal, and attorneys for the Bryan family said they want to spread awareness.
The report by the AHCA revealed that many on staff during the procedure did not think the surgeon should perform the surgery.
"RN E stated she did not think Surgeon A [Shaknovsky] was a great surgeon and didn't think it would end well," the report states.
The Bryan family previously claimed the surgeon talked them into doing the surgery even though they wanted to go back to their home hospital in north Alabama. The latest report states a nurse who was in the room at the time said Shaknovsky made the surgery seem like a "run of the mill" surgery, which was not the case.
The report states that three incidents involving Shaknovsky were reported and that the hospital failed to ensure that medical staff demonstrated competencies to perform tasks. A scrub tech said that while the surgeon was "fun," he had also made careless mistakes in the past and even left a procedure once to take a phone call.
"I don't trust him as a doctor," one tech said. "I hated working with him."
Shaknovsky said during the surgery, there was so much blood he couldn't see, and he panicked.
The Chief Medical Officer was brought into the operating room following Bryan's death and was told by several people they did not think what the surgeon removed was a spleen. An RN who came into the room reported everyone was "in shock" after seeing the specimen removed from Bryan.
The death certificate states Bryan died of blood loss due to the removal of his liver, and the death has been ruled a homicide.
Shaknovsky told investigators he went to the laboratory after the procedure to view the organ. He said even then, "it did not click" because he was so distraught.
The operating room director told investigators that Shaknovsky has a reputation at an Alabama hospital. She said those who work there told her they call and make sure he is not on call before bringing in family members. The name of the Alabama hospital was not provided.
The State of Florida Health Department suspended Shaknovsky's license in an emergency order last month.
"Dr. Shaknovsky's blatant disregard for the truth, falsification of an operative report, and attempt to convince OR staff to acquiesce to his version of events is a breach of the public trust," the 21-page order reads. "Dr. Shaknovsky's dishonesty cannot be contained to only operative reports; it colors every aspect of the practice of osteopathic medicine. The public must be able to trust that Dr. Shaknovsky's description of patient care, whether that is in an emergency room, clinic, or primary care practice, is true. That trust is irrevocably broken. Therefore, there is no restriction that can adequately protect the public from an osteopathic physician who is willing to lie and pressure others to lie on their behalf."
Shaknovsky has not been charged criminally.
AHCA Report 1 by Erica Thomas on Scribd
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning or become a member to gain access to exclusive content and 1819 News merch.
