Medication mix-up paralyzes knee patient
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The gist
A Nashville hospital gave four patients potassium phosphate instead of anesthetic, paralyzing one woman. The mix-up, traced to the pharmacy, is under state investigation.
Background
On Aug. 14, 2026, four patients at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown in Nashville received potassium phosphate instead of the intended anesthetic mepivacaine during routine joint replacement surgeries. The error caused serious adverse reactions, including paralysis for at least one patient, 72-year-old Glenda Dorton. The hospital halted remaining operations that day and launched an investigation, which traced the error to its pharmacy. State agencies are now investigating.
How it unfolded
- Aug 14, 2026Four patients at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown receive potassium phosphate instead of anesthetic during routine surgeries; hospital halts remaining operations.
- Aug 20, 2026Glenda Dorton, 72, is identified as one affected patient; she is paralyzed from the sternum down and transferred to a Chicago rehab clinic.
- Aug 21, 2026Hospital acknowledges the medication error in a statement; Tennessee Health Facilities Commission and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation open investigations.
- recentlyDorton arrives at a spinal injury rehabilitation clinic in Chicago for intensive treatment; investigations continue.
Who’s saying what
- Hospital
- Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown acknowledged the medication error and said it is cooperating with investigations, citing patient privacy for not disclosing details.
- Family
- Dorton's family says the mix-up came from the hospital's pharmacy, not the doctor or surgery team, and that she is paralyzed possibly for life.
- Officials
- Tennessee state agencies are investigating but have declined to comment on the ongoing probes.
Still unverified
Reports that a second patient is also paralyzed and another is in the ICU have not been confirmed by the hospital or officials.