Surgeon Indicted After Wrong Organ Removed
Doctor Thomas Shaknovsky removed a liver instead of a spleen during surgery. The 70-year-old patient died after the operation.
Shaknovsky then ordered the liver labeled as a spleen for pathology. He was indicted for second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death.
Klear Note — Second-degree manslaughter means causing someone's death through reckless or negligent actions. Medical errors during surgery can result in criminal charges if negligence is found.
Key Terms 3
- indicted formally charged with a crime by a grand jury
- second-degree manslaughter causing a death through reckless actions, not on purpose
- pathology lab that studies body tissue to find disease