Doctor who accidentally removed patient’s liver instead of spleen charged with manslaughter
Dr Thomas Shaknovsky has been indicted after the 70-year-old man died during surgery.
A doctor in the US has been charged with second-degree manslaughter after accidentally removing a patient’s liver instead of his spleen, resulting in catastrophic blood loss and the patient’s death on the operating table.
Dr Thomas Shaknovsky was transported to the Walton County Jail in Florida earlier this week ahead of his court appearance.
Prosecutors said that he was originally scheduled to perform a laparoscopic splenectomy in August 2024 after imaging “revealed a suspected enlarged spleen and blood in the peritoneum with no active haemorrhage”.
According to media reports, for the next two days, Dr Shaknovsky advised the patient to undergo surgery.
