Patient Paralyzed After Reported Medication Error at Nashville Hospital; Investigation Underway
A 72-year-old woman in Nashville, Tennessee, was left paralyzed from the chest down after reportedly receiving potassium chloride instead of bupivacaine during a knee replacement surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown. Her family states she is one of at…
Portland, OR, August 20, 2026 —
A 72-year-old woman in Nashville, Tennessee, has been left paralyzed from the chest down following a knee replacement surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown, according to her family. The family alleges that the patient received potassium chloride instead of the intended anesthetic, bupivacaine, during the procedure.
This incident is reportedly part of a larger medication mix-up at the hospital that may have affected at least four patients, the family stated. The specific details regarding the other affected patients were not provided.
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown has issued an apology regarding the incident. A spokesperson for the hospital confirmed that an investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the medication error. The hospital has also reported the incident to state regulators and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The condition of the patient, who is paralyzed from the chest down, represents a severe outcome following the reported error. Further details about the patient’s ongoing care or prognosis were not immediately available.
The hospital’s statement indicated a commitment to understanding how the mix-up occurred and to taking appropriate steps following the investigation’s conclusion. The involvement of state regulators and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation suggests a thorough examination of the hospital’s protocols and practices related to medication administration.
Story summarized from the original created by Hunter Hoagland, Amber Jayanth, Gray News staff on www.kptv.com, see more information here.
