Four people went to a Nashville hospital for what should have been routine joint-replacement surgeries.
Two of them were reportedly left paralyzed after receiving the wrong medication.
Now the hospital says it is “deeply sorry.”
The horrifying medication error happened August 14 at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown. The patients were supposed to receive an anesthetic used during their procedures.
Instead, they received a potassium medication.
Families told local reporters that two patients were left paralyzed. One of them, 72-year-old Glenda Dorton, remains under medical care with an uncertain prognosis.
NewsChannel 5 Nashville first reported that at least four people were undergoing joint-replacement surgeries when the drug mix-up occurred.
Dorton’s family said she had gone in for a knee replacement and was supposed to receive pain medication through an epidural. The wrong drug was injected before the surgery, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down, according to the family.
The hospital confirmed that four patients were affected, but it has not publicly released the patients’ individual medical details. It said the incident was reported to state regulators on the day it happened.
Hospital president and CEO Dr. Shubhada Jagasia said Ascension launched an investigation, identified the cause and implemented corrective safeguards. She did not identify that cause or describe the safeguards in the public statement.
NewsChannel 5 reported that the medication was prepared inside the hospital pharmacy. The station was told that potassium was put into syringes that were supposed to contain an anesthetic.
“On behalf of our leadership and care teams, I am deeply sorry for the harm caused to our patients,” Jagasia said.
That apology is doing little to calm the anger surrounding this case.
This is a Quality control nightmare, medical malpractice on steroids! The regulatory investigations and lawsuits that follow could shut the hospital down. How the hell did they not check the medication before administering it, not once, yet multiple times?!
— Teagan1776🇺🇸 (@Teagan1776) August 22, 2026
CBS News reported that the families of the four patients said two people were left paralyzed and one remained in intensive care.
Dorton’s attorney said her knee-replacement operation itself went well. The medication error is what left her paralyzed, and her prognosis remains unclear.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed that it is investigating after being alerted by the Tennessee Healthcare Facilities Commission. The hospital has not publicly explained exactly how the medications became mixed up or detailed the corrective safeguards it says are now in place.
Potassium is essential to the body in proper amounts and has legitimate medical uses. But improperly administered potassium can trigger cardiac arrest, and high doses of potassium chloride have been used in executions.
“Sorry”
😭😭😭😭😭
This is why you should stay out of hospitals if you can. Death traps
— Mr_Pendulum_ (@Mr_Pendulum_) August 22, 2026
WSMV and Gray News reported that Dorton’s family described her as active and said she had delayed the knee replacement because she did not want the downtime.
Her daughter-in-law said Dorton woke up burning and itching and could not feel her legs. The family is now hoping doctors can determine whether any of the damage can be reversed.
The Tennessee Healthcare Facilities Commission said it had received complaints and was investigating at the hospital. Ascension said its clinical teams are already using enhanced safety protocols.
The hospital has not disclosed the conditions of the other affected patients, citing medical privacy. It also has not publicly explained how the wrong medication was administered more than once before the error was stopped.
But the most basic question has not been answered publicly: How did medication capable of causing catastrophic injury reach multiple patients during routine procedures?
This is why I don't go to the doctor unless I'm an inch away from death. https://t.co/3crdwwTwxf
— The Disrespected Trucker (@DisrespectedThe) August 22, 2026
Four families trusted this hospital with routine care. They deserve much more than an apology and a vague assurance that safeguards have been added.
They deserve a full accounting of what failed, who knew what and when, and why the system did not stop the wrong medication before it reached a single patient—let alone four.
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.
What are your thoughts?
