US Doctor Who Killed Patient During Surgery by Removing Wrong Organ Gives Explanation for Fatal Error

A Florida surgeon accused of removing the wrong organ during a fatal operation has given sworn testimony describing how the error occurred, saying the situation in the operating room deteriorated rapidly and affected his judgment.

Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky testified that during a planned laparoscopic splenectomy on 70-year-old William Bryan, unexpected complications made it difficult to identify internal structures clearly.

“There were complications with Bryan’s procedure that made it difficult and dangerous,” he said in a deposition cited by NBC News. He pointed to internal bleeding and an enlarged colon that, according to him, obstructed visibility and made it hard to locate the source of the hemorrhage.

Shaknovsky told lawyers that the emergency unfolded quickly as Bryan’s condition worsened during surgery, with resuscitation efforts taking place alongside the procedure.

At one point, he admitted he lost clarity in identifying the organ he was operating on.

“And I couldn’t tell the difference because I was so upset,” he said.

He described the experience as emotionally overwhelming, saying the death of a patient in the operating room had a lasting impact on him.

“I can’t explain to you what it’s like for a surgeon to lose a patient on a table and how demoralizing it is and how devastating it is,” he said.

Shaknovsky added that the incident continues to weigh heavily on him.

“It’s a devastating thing, which I will have to live with the rest of my life,” he said. “And I think about it every single day.”

He also told the court he regrets what happened, calling it an outcome he cannot move past.

“That was an incredibly unfortunate event that I regret deeply, and I’m forever traumatized by it and hurt by it,” he said.

The testimony forms part of ongoing legal proceedings brought by Bryan’s widow, who alleges that the surgeon removed the liver instead of the spleen during the operation, leading to fatal blood loss.