An attorney for the man’s widow in Florida claims that a surgeon inadvertently removed his liver instead of his spleen, resulting in his death on the operating table.
According to a statement from Zarzaur Law, a personal injury firm based in Pensacola, Florida, William Bryan, 70, of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, underwent surgery on Aug. 21 at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Miramar, Florida, due to spleen abnormalities.
In a statement to NBC News on Wednesday, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office announced that it is investigating the death of Bryan in collaboration with other authorities.
Beverly Bryan’s solicitors stated that William Bryan began experiencing “left-sided flank pain” while visiting their rental property in the Sunshine State.
Despite the Bryans’ reluctance to undergo surgery in Florida, they were convinced by Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky, a general surgeon, and Dr. Christopher Bacani, the hospital’s chief medical officer, that he could experience severe complications if he were to leave the hospital’s care. Consequently, he was admitted to the hospital for further evaluation.
According to records, both Shaknovsky and Bacani were involved in discussions regarding the course of Bryan’s medical treatment, according to Beverly Bryan’s counsel, Joe Zarzaur, in the statement.
Zarzaur stated that Shaknovsky’s hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy on William Bryan resulted in fatal complications.
“Dr. Shaknovsky removed Mr. Bryan’s liver, which resulted in an immediate and catastrophic blood loss that led to his death by transsecting the major vasculature that supplied the liver.” “The surgeon classified the liver specimen that was removed as a “spleen.” It was not until after Mr. Bryan’s death that it was discovered that the organ that was removed was actually his liver, not a “spleen.””
Zarzaur alleges that Shaknovsky informed Beverly Bryan that her husband’s spleen was so diseased that it had grown four times its normal size and had relocated to the opposite side of his body. However, in a typical human organism, the liver is located on the opposite side of the abdomen and is significantly larger than a spleen, he stated.
The Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast hospital issued a statement on Wednesday stating that it is conducting a “detailed investigation” into Bryan’s death and is “extremely concerned” about the allegations made by his family.
“Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast has a longstanding history of providing safe, quality care since the hospital opened its doors in 2003,” according to the statement. “Our primary concern is and will always be patient safety.” The family is in our thoughts and prayers. Our patients’ privacy is of the utmost importance to us. We refrain from providing commentary on active litigation or specific patient cases.
The average human spleen is approximately the size of an avocado, and the average human liver is approximately the size of a football, according to the Cleveland Clinic..
The statement stated that Mr. Bryan’s spleen, which was the source of his initial symptom profile upon admission to the hospital, was still present in his body and exhibited a small lesion on its surface.
Zarzaur stated that Shaknovsky had committed a comparable error in 2023, when he removed portions of a pancreas instead of an adrenal gland in a case that was privately resolved.
On Wednesday afternoon, the employment status of Shaknovsky and Bacani was not immediately apparent. They were unable to provide a response. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement reporting that the circumstances surrounding Bryan’s death are under investigation by the authorities.
“The Walton County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the District 1 Medical Examiner’s Office and the Office of the State Attorney, is currently conducting a review of the circumstances surrounding the death of William Bryan to ascertain whether any criminal activity occurred.”
Beverly Bryan does not wish for Shaknovsky to conduct any additional operations, as per Zarzaur.
“Dr. Shaknovsky operated on my husband, who died while he was unable to assist himself on the operating table.” The statement from her attorney stated, “I am determined to prevent any additional deaths as a result of his incompetence at a hospital that should have been aware or knew that he had previously made drastic, life-altering surgical errors.”
Zarzaur stated that she is advocating for both criminal and civil proceedings.
“Our objective at Zarzaur Law is to bring justice to the Bryan family and enhance the safety of our community by addressing each case individually,” he stated. “Although the majority of physicians are performing exceptional work to maintain our health, there is a small minority who should not be practicing medicine.”
Shaknovsky’s medical license is currently active, with the Florida Board of Medicine verifying this information on Wednesday afternoon. Records indicate that this is also the case for Bacani.
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