He Went In For Spleen Surgery: The Doctor Removed His Liver Instead
TikToker @merhawitmeles43 is sharing a sad story about a case of medical malpractice that serves as a reminder of how high the stakes can be when doctors make mistakes.
A couple named William and Beverly Bryan from Alabama were visiting Florida when William suddenly felt a horrible pain in his left side. They decided to go to the emergency room to get it checked out.
They went to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital in Miramar, Florida. While there, Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky ran some imaging tests and told William that he needed surgery because his spleen was enlarged and bleeding.
Beverly immediately called their doctor in Alabama, and their doctor told them to come home. He advised them not to get the surgery done in Florida, and would have a team of surgeons waiting for them.
But Dr. Shaknovsky told William that if he didn’t have the surgery done now, he would die. So, William and Beverly agreed. At 4 p.m., he was prepped for surgery, but the staff was looking at each other in confusion.
There weren’t enough staff members for the procedure, and those who were present did not feel that Dr. Shaknovsky was capable of carrying out such a complicated procedure. These types of procedures were rarely done at the hospital because of the high risk.
As the doctor removed William’s spleen, an artery ruptured, causing massive bleeding and sending William into cardiac arrest. The staff jumped into action. They started a blood transfusion and CPR.
The doctor continued to attempt to remove the spleen. Despite the staff’s best efforts, William died on the operating table. His body was sent to the medical examiner’s office for an autopsy.
The medical examiner was super confused. According to his notes, the spleen was supposed to be removed, but it was still intact in William’s body.
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Then, he noticed that William’s liver was missing. So, the doctor had removed the liver instead of the spleen, which were on opposite sides of the body.
In addition, the spleen was barely bleeding. William could’ve made it back to Alabama for the surgery. The doctor had severed William’s vena cava, which caused him to bleed out immediately.
This was all reported to the Florida Department of Health. Apparently, it wasn’t the first time that Dr. Shaknovsky removed the wrong organ from a patient.
Ultimately, his medical license was suspended by the state, so hopefully, he will not be able to hurt any more patients in the future.
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