A Florida surgeon has been indicted on charges of manslaughter following a botched operation in which he mistakenly removed a patient’s liver instead of the spleen. The incident occurred in August 2024 at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast hospital in Miramar Beach, Florida.

Thomas Shakovsky, 44, of DeFuniak Springs, was indicted by a grand jury in Tallahassee on Monday, accused of causing the death of 70-year-old William Bryan from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Bryan, a Navy veteran, was admitted for evaluation after experiencing left-sided flank pain while visiting a rental property in Okaloosa County.

According to court documents and statements from law enforcement, Shakovsky was scheduled to perform a laparoscopic splenectomy, a procedure to remove the spleen. However, during the surgery, he removed the liver instead, leading to catastrophic blood loss that resulted in Bryan’s death on the operating table.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said Shakovsky proceeded with the operation despite indications that the wrong organ had been removed. Prosecutors noted that the surgeon believed he was removing the spleen but became disoriented amidst the complications and failed to properly identify the organ. Shakovsky reportedly continued the surgery in an attempt to control bleeding from an aneurysm after the patient had been in cardiac arrest for approximately 15 minutes.

Following the surgery, Shakovsky allegedly labeled the removed liver as a diseased spleen and informed Bryan’s wife that the “spleen” was abnormally enlarged and displaced. This mischaracterization was among the findings of an extensive investigation involving the Walton County sheriff’s office, the state attorney’s office, and state medical authorities.

An emergency suspension of Shakovsky’s medical license was issued by the Florida Department of Health less than a month after Bryan’s death. He also lost his medical licenses in Alabama and New York.

Shakovsky was taken into custody on Monday morning in Miramar Beach and is scheduled to appear in court. If convicted of second-degree manslaughter, a felony under Florida law, he faces up to 15 years in prison and a potential fine of up to $10,000.

Authorities emphasized their commitment to a thorough and unbiased investigation. The Walton County sheriff expressed condolences to Bryan’s family and underscored the importance of following the legal process.

As of this time, no legal representation for Shakovsky has been publicly identified. The case continues to draw attention amid concerns about surgical errors and patient safety.