Civil and potential criminal charges are being considered following the death of William “Bill” Bryan, a 70-year-old Alabama man, after a surgeon at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast removed his liver instead of his spleen, causing “immediate and catastrophic blood loss” that led to his death.
Bill and his wife, Beverly, were visiting their Destin condo when he experienced pain on his left side. He was admitted to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach, where he was diagnosed with a suspected spleen issue. According to the family’s attorney, Joe Zarzaur, surgeon Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky and the hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr. Christopher Bacani, convinced the couple to proceed with surgery in Florida rather than returning to Alabama, despite their initial hesitation. The doctors warned that the risk of spleen rupture made it too dangerous for Bill to travel.
“This is one of the most egregious cases of medical malpractice I’ve ever seen,” Zarzaur said during a press conference. He explained that the doctors stressed the urgency of the situation, claiming Bill’s spleen might rupture if they delayed surgery.
On August 21, 2024, Shaknovsky performed what was intended to be a laparoscopic splenectomy. However, he mistakenly removed Bryan’s liver, severing major blood vessels and leading to his death on the operating table. Beverly Bryan, herself a nurse, was devastated. She had wanted to return home for the procedure, where doctors were prepared to treat her husband, but trusted the advice of the Florida medical team. Tragically, her husband died just two days before their wedding anniversary.
“I know I’m not the only wife who has lost her husband suddenly, but Bill’s death was especially unnecessary and brutal,” Beverly said tearfully. She described how Dr. Shaknovsky initially reassured her, claiming the “spleen” was larger than normal and had shifted position in Bill’s body. It wasn’t until the removed tissue was examined by a pathologist that the mistake was discovered: the organ removed was Bill’s liver, not his spleen.
The situation worsened when the family’s legal team learned that this was not Shaknovsky’s first wrong-site surgery. In 2023, he had mistakenly removed part of a patient’s pancreas during a procedure meant for the adrenal gland. That case was settled privately, but Shaknovsky remained practicing at the same hospital. Zarzaur expressed concern that the surgeon might still have access to operating rooms, stating, “He should not be treating patients.”
The hospital released a statement saying, “We take allegations like this very seriously and are conducting a thorough investigation.” While they offered condolences to the family, they declined to comment on specific cases due to patient privacy and ongoing litigation.
Beverly Bryan is calling for both civil and criminal actions to be taken, saying she doesn’t want anyone else to suffer the way her family has. She tearfully recounted how Bill, a retired boilermaker, would never get to see his grandson play high school football.
Zarzaur has not yet filed a medical malpractice lawsuit, as Florida law requires a pre-suit period to attempt resolution outside of court. Meanwhile, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and the District 1 Medical Examiner’s Office are investigating whether criminal charges, such as culpable negligence, may apply.
“My husband died helpless on the operating table,” Beverly said. “I don’t want anyone else to lose their life due to this doctor’s incompetence at a hospital that should have known better.
