{"aiVersion":"1","content":{"id":"cmo27glxb0004b961ilqtpj8o","slug":"when-a-surgeon-removes-the-wrong-organ-what-happen-20260417","title":"When a Surgeon Removes the Wrong Organ: What Happened and Why It Matters","level":"HARD","publishedAt":"2026-04-17T01:04:10.535Z"},"topic":{"slug":"when-a-surgeon-removes-the-wrong-organ-what-happen-20260417","category":"health"},"article":{"paragraphs":["In August 2024, a 70-year-old man went into surgery at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach, Florida, for a planned laparoscopic splenectomy. During the operation the surgeon cut and removed the patient’s liver instead of the spleen, which led to catastrophic blood loss and the patient’s death.","Florida’s emergency suspension order later described how the operation moved from laparoscopy to an open procedure when visibility became poor, and how the surgeon continued to dissect the wrong organ even as the patient went into cardiac arrest. The order said the surgeon completed the splenectomy after the patient had been in cardiac arrest for 15 minutes, and that the bleeding could not be controlled.","A Walton County grand jury returned an indictment in April 2026 charging Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky with second‑degree manslaughter. Law enforcement and medical authorities had conducted a two‑year inquiry; he was arrested in Miramar Beach, booked at the Walton County Jail, and later released on bond while pretrial matters proceed.","The emergency order also cited prior surgical errors and alleged problems with medical records that prompted disciplinary action in more than one state. State boards in Alabama and New York also took action after the Florida order, and records show Dr. Shaknovsky surrendered or faced suspension of licenses in other states. The patient’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit and civil proceedings remain separate from the criminal case."],"wordCount":232,"readTime":2},"vocabulary":[{"word":"splenectomy","example":"The team prepared the patient for a splenectomy.","phonetic":"/spleˈnɛktəmi/","definition":"surgical removal of the spleen"},{"word":"cardiac arrest","example":"The patient went into cardiac arrest during the operation.","phonetic":"/ˈkɑːrdiæk əˈrɛst/","definition":"when the heart suddenly stops beating"},{"word":"indictment","example":"The indictment came after a two‑year inquiry.","phonetic":"/ɪnˈdaɪtmənt/","definition":"a formal charge issued by a grand jury"},{"word":"surrendered","example":"Records show he surrendered his license in another state.","phonetic":"/səˈrɛndərd/","definition":"gave up a license or right, often to avoid further action"},{"word":"wrongful death","example":"The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit.","phonetic":"/ˈrɒŋfəl dɛθ/","definition":"a legal claim when a person dies because of another's actions"}],"quiz":[{"answer":"In August 2024","question":"When did the surgery occur?"},{"answer":"the patient’s liver","question":"What organ was removed by mistake?"},{"answer":"second‑degree manslaughter","question":"What charge did the grand jury return?"}],"discussion":[{"question":"Do you feel comfortable asking a doctor for more details about a complex operation? Why or why not?"},{"question":"Have you ever had a family member face a long medical or legal process? What was that like?"},{"question":"What would make you trust a hospital after a serious medical error?"},{"question":"Would you want to be present during discussions of medical records and results? Why?"},{"question":"How do you balance getting medical care while also checking a doctor’s history?"}]}