Unthinkable error at hospital: Liver removed instead of spleen, patient dies

70-year-old William Bryan, who lived in the US state of Alabama, went to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital with his wife after experiencing sudden abdominal pain while on vacation in Florida.

Doctors decided on emergency surgery, believing there was an issue with Bryan's spleen. It is alleged that during the surgery performed on August 21, General Surgeon Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky made a grave error and mistakenly removed Bryan's liver instead of his spleen.

This serious error caused excessive blood loss and led to Bryan's death on the operating table.

It is alleged that the surgeon believed the organ he removed was the "spleen" and only realized the mistake after Bryan had died.

The surgeon told Bryan's wife that the spleen was "very large and displaced." 

Bryan's wife, Beverly, stated that she has initiated legal proceedings to seek justice. 

The hospital stated that the incident is being investigated but that details cannot be provided due to confidentiality.

An autopsy determined that there was a small cyst on Bryan's spleen.