A surgeon in Florida has been charged with second-degree manslaughter because he removed a patient's liver instead of the spleen, which was the intention of the surgery, killing the patient on the operating table. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/us/florida-surgeon-manslaughter-organ-removal.html?searchResultPosition=1

It appears there was a systemic failure. Colleagues of the surgeon had concerns about his skill level to safely perform the surgery. Yet, no one apparently acted on those concerns.

Further, the patient initially said he did not want the surgery, but the surgeon reportedly pressured the patient into the surgery. This raises serious concerns about the consent procedures. Patients should never be pressured into surgery.

The surgery itself was a fiasco from the start, with immediate complications, excessive bleeding, and poor visibility. The surgery was supposed to be minimally invasive—i.e. laparoscopic. But almost immediately, the surgeon was unable to see the surgical field due to a distended colon that should have been understood before surgery. Once he opened the patient, the surgeon forged ahead even though he could not see what he was cutting and dissecting. No one stopped him.

Once the surgeon removed the liver, he told the staff that it was the spleen, and the staff was shocked—one of them reportedly was sick to their stomach. The patient died on the table. An autopsy confirmed the spleen was intact and the liver missing.

This sort of event is obviously inexcusable, and it is easy to understand why criminal charges followed. Most malpractice cases are not this egregious.

However, there are several important takeaways. First, while the surgeon is responsible, the system failed this patient and his family. If colleagues believe a doctor lacks skill, they must take action because saying nothing endangers patients. Second, proper anatomy must be confirmed either visually or through appropriate imaging. If a surgeon cannot see what he/she is doing, they should not cut.

Lastly, procedures should exist in every operating room for medical staff to speak up and stop unsafe procedures. Allowing an unsafe procedure to continue kills—as this case proves.

There are many forces at work when a patient is taken to the operating room. It is essential that doctors and hospitals implement systems and procedures to assure the safest surgeries possible.