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Tennessee Hospital Under Investigation After 4 Patients Receive Potassium

Four patients undergoing routine joint-replacement procedures received potassium instead of the intended pain medication at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown in Nashville

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating a medication error at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown in Nashville after four patients undergoing routine joint-replacement surgeries were given potassium instead of the intended pain medication.

The incident occurred Friday, August 14, at the hospital. According to WTVF, the CBS-affiliated local station, all four procedures had been scheduled as outpatient surgeries.

The Tennessee Hospital Under Investigation After Four Patients Receive Potassium case was reported to state authorities by the Tennessee Healthcare Facilities Commission, prompting an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which confirmed the probe to CBS News.

Families of the patients told WTVF that two patients were left paralyzed following the medication error, while another remains in intensive care.

One of the patients is 72-year-old Glenda Dorton, who underwent knee-replacement surgery. Her attorney, Mark Walwyn, said the procedure itself went well, but Dorton is now paralyzed as a result of the medication error. In a statement on behalf of the family, Walwyn said she remains under medical care and faces a long and uncertain recovery.

Potassium has several medical uses, including the treatment of certain conditions involving kidney stones and support of cardiac and nerve function. However, excessive or improperly administered potassium can be life-threatening. Potassium chloride, in particular, can cause cardiac arrest if administered too rapidly. High doses of potassium chloride are also used in lethal injections.

It remains unclear how the medication was mistakenly administered. Shubhada Jagasia, the hospital’s president and CEO, said in a statement that the facility became aware of the incident on the day it occurred and voluntarily reported it to state regulators.

The hospital also launched its own internal investigation. Jagasia said the facility had identified the cause of the error and implemented corrective measures, but she did not disclose the cause or provide details about the new safeguards.

Hospital staff have met with the families of the affected patients, Jagasia said. The hospital will not release “specific clinical details” about the patients involved.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing.

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