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 catastrophic blood loss and death on the operating table.

Fatal Surgical Error Leads to Criminal Charges

Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, 44, was arrested Monday in Miramar Beach and indicted by a grand jury for second-degree manslaughter. The charges stem from an August 2024 surgery on a 70-year-old Alabama man who died after Shaknovsky allegedly removed the wrong organ. According to prosecutors, the patient came to the hospital with abdominal pain and imaging showed a suspected enlarged spleen. After two days of recommendations, Shaknovsky allegedly continued to pressure the patient, who initially wanted to return home to Alabama, until he agreed to the procedure.

Pattern of Alleged Medical Errors

Court documents reveal this was not an isolated incident. The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners accused Shaknovsky of two other instances of malpractice. In May 2023, he allegedly removed part of a patient’s pancreas during a routine adrenal gland surgery. Two months later, in July 2023, he allegedly removed part of a patient’s intestine during another procedure, causing a gastrointestinal perforation. That patient died shortly after being moved to the ICU. Shaknovsky settled the May 2023 malpractice claim for $400,000.

Multiple License Suspensions Across States

Following the fatal August 2024 surgery, medical boards in three states took action against Shaknovsky. The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners temporarily suspended his license immediately after the incident, and the Alabama Medical Licensure Commission revoked it later that year. His Florida medical license was suspended in 2024, followed by suspension of his New York license in 2025. An autopsy found no evidence of the ruptured splenic artery aneurysm Shaknovsky claimed caused the death. Instead, the victim’s spleen remained untouched in its normal position while his liver was missing.

Questions About Medical Oversight

The case raises serious concerns about how Shaknovsky continued practicing despite alleged previous errors. Court filings state that during the fatal surgery, Shaknovsky continued operating even as the patient went into cardiac arrest. He later told officials he removed what he believed was the spleen but was unable to properly identify the organ due to shock and chaos. Shaknovsky graduated from Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2009. Despite the allegations, public records show he indicated he had never had medical staff privileges restricted or revoked within the past decade. He faces his first court appearance following the indictment.