A catastrophic pharmacy error at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown in Nashville has left multiple surgery patients in cardiac arrest, paralysis, and fighting for their lives.
According to The Gateway Pundit, four joint replacement patients were mistakenly injected with potassium instead of an anesthetic, a mix-up that occurred inside the hospitals in-house pharmacy on Friday, August 14. Too much potassium administered too rapidly can stop a persons heart, CBS reported, and at least one patient is now on a ventilator while two others are reportedly paralyzed.
Hospital officials have admitted fault and attempted to contain the fallout, issuing a carefully worded apology as state authorities move in. Our hearts remain entirely with the four patients and families impacted by the recent event at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown, the hospital said. On behalf of our leadership and care teams, we extend our deepest apologies for the harm caused.
WZTV reported that the patients were supposed to receive mepivacaine, an anesthetic medication commonly used for joint procedures, but instead were given potassium phosphate. The four patients experienced adverse health reactions and received immediate medical care, the hospital said, while insisting that a comprehensive review confirmed no other patients were affected.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations is now involved, raising serious questions about oversight, accountability, and the broader competence of large health systems that Americans are increasingly forced to rely on. The new details emerged after FOX 17 News spoke with the family of 72-year-old Glenda Dorton, who went in for a routine knee replacement on August 14 and became one of the victims of this preventable error, a stark reminder that even basic medical care can be jeopardized when institutional safeguards fail.
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