A medication error during routine joint replacement procedures left at least two patients paralysed and prompted state investigations

A Nashville hospital drug mix-up at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown in Nashville, Tennessee, on Friday, August 14, 2026, left at least four patients with serious complications after potassium was reportedly administered instead of the intended pain medication during routine joint replacement procedures.

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The incident has triggered investigations by Tennessee authorities and an internal review by the hospital, while families of the affected patients seek answers over how such a potentially devastating medication error occurred.

At least two patients were reportedly left paralysed, while another remains in intensive care on a ventilator, according to local reporting.

The hospital has not released individual medical details about the other patients, citing privacy concerns. (CBS News)

One of those affected is 72-year-old Glenda Dorton, who travelled to the hospital for what her family described as a routine knee replacement.

Instead of receiving the intended epidural medication, reportedly bupivacaine, Dorton was given potassium through an epidural injection before the operation. Her family said she subsequently lost movement and sensation from the chest down.

Dorton remains under intensive medical care, with her prognosis described as uncertain. Her family has said doctors are trying to determine whether any of the neurological damage can be reversed.

Kristina Buell, Dorton’s daughter-in-law, said the family initially believed the procedure had gone normally until Dorton began experiencing alarming symptoms.

“She was having a reaction; she was itchy. She said her whole body was burning, and she couldn’t feel her legs,” Buell said. (14 News)

The severity of the incident became apparent as more patients undergoing similar procedures experienced complications.

According to NewsChannel 5, people familiar with the incident said staff realised something was wrong after patients began going into cardiac arrest. (News Channel 5 Nashville (WTVF))

Potassium chloride is a legitimate medication when used appropriately, including in the treatment of certain medical conditions.

However, excessive amounts administered too rapidly can cause dangerous disturbances in the heart’s electrical activity and potentially cardiac arrest. (CBS News)

The circumstances surrounding the error remain under investigation. The hospital has not publicly explained how the medication was prepared, how it came to be used in the epidural syringes or precisely where the breakdown in its safety system occurred.

Dr Shubhada Jagasia, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown, said the hospital had reported the incident to state regulators and launched its own investigation.

“On behalf of our leadership and care teams, I am deeply sorry for the harm caused to our patients,” Jagasia said. (14 News)

She said the hospital had identified the cause and introduced corrective safeguards, while clinical teams were operating under enhanced safety procedures.

The Tennessee Health Facilities Commission is conducting its own review, while the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that its investigation is active and ongoing. (CBS News)

The incident has also raised broader questions about medication-handling safeguards in hospitals.

Medical experts cited by local media said medicines such as potassium are subject to established labelling, dispensing and verification procedures precisely because an administration error can have catastrophic consequences. (News Channel 5 Nashville (WTVF))

For Dorton’s family, the consequences have been especially profound. The 72-year-old had been active before the procedure and had delayed the knee replacement because she was concerned about the recovery period.

Her family now faces an entirely different and uncertain recovery.

“We’re hoping that we can give her the care she needs. This is the rest of her life, and she still has a lot of life to live,” Buell said. (14 News)

The hospital has met with the families of all four affected patients and said it has provided access to ongoing medical and support services.

The case has meanwhile drawn intense scrutiny because the procedures were expected to be routine, outpatient joint replacement operations.

What began as planned treatment has instead left several families confronting serious and potentially life-changing medical consequences. (CBS News)

Authorities are expected to examine the medication preparation and verification processes as they seek to establish exactly how the Nashville hospital drug mix-up occurred and whether additional safeguards are required to prevent a similar incident.