Man dies from 'catastrophic' blood loss after doctor removes liver instead of spleen during surgery

The hospital issued a statement emphasising its commitment to patient safety. (Representative Image)

William Bryan, a 70-year-old man from Alabama, tragically died during surgery while on vacation in Florida after a surgeon mistakenly removed his liver instead of his spleen. Bryan had been admitted to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital with severe abdominal pain, prompting doctors to recommend an emergency procedure. His family is now pursuing legal action, accusing the hospital of negligence, New York Post reported.

While visiting the Florida panhandle, Bryan began to experience intense pain in the lower left side of his abdomen. He was taken to the hospital, where medical staff identified an abnormality in his spleen and advised him to undergo surgery to prevent complications. According to the family's legal representatives, Bryan was persuaded by Dr Thomas Shaknovsky, a general surgeon, and Dr Christopher Bacani, the hospital’s chief medical officer, to proceed with an emergency splenectomy on 21 August.

However, during the hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery, Dr Shaknovsky removed Bryan’s liver instead of the spleen, resulting in catastrophic blood loss and Bryan’s death. According to Zarzaur Law P.A., the firm representing the Bryan family, the surgeon allegedly labelled the liver as a "spleen" post-operation. It was only after Bryan’s death that the error was discovered.

Shaknovsky reportedly informed Bryan's wife, Beverly, that her husband’s spleen had grown significantly and moved to an unusual location in his body, which may have contributed to the mistake. In a typical human anatomy, the liver is located in the upper right section of the abdomen, while the spleen resides on the upper left side. The liver is also notably larger than the spleen, weighing between 2.4 to 3 pounds more.

The law firm also alleged that Dr Shaknovsky had a prior history of surgical errors. In a previous case, the surgeon was accused of removing a portion of a patient’s pancreas instead of performing an adrenal gland resection. That case was settled privately, and the details remain confidential.

Beverly Bryan, speaking through her legal counsel, said she is seeking justice for her husband and wants to ensure the surgeon does not treat other patients. She emphasised the need for accountability, expressing her fear that more lives could be endangered by what she called "incompetence" at the hospital. "My husband died while helpless on the operating table," she stated, adding that she wanted both a lawsuit and a criminal investigation into the incident.

In response to the incident, North Walton Doctor’s Hospital, where Shaknovsky had affiliations, disassociated itself from the surgeon, removing all references to him from its website. Meanwhile, Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital confirmed it is investigating Bryan’s death but refrained from releasing further details, citing confidentiality regulations.

The hospital issued a statement emphasising its commitment to patient safety and stated that its leadership team was conducting a thorough review of the situation. "We take allegations like this very seriously," the hospital said, adding that it had a long-standing record of providing quality care since opening in 2003.

A post-mortem examination revealed that Bryan had a small cyst on his spleen, which may have been the source of the pain that initially led him to seek medical treatment. The family’s legal battle over the circumstances of his death is ongoing.