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State investigators are reviewing an incident involving four joint-replacement patients at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown.
Source: NewsChannel 5 Investigates – Read the original report
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating a medication mix-up at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown that reportedly caused catastrophic complications for four patients undergoing routine joint-replacement procedures.
According to NewsChannel 5 Investigates, the TBI described its investigation as active and ongoing. The Tennessee Health Facilities Commission, which reportedly notified the TBI about the incident, is conducting a separate regulatory review.
NewsChannel 5 reported that the four patients went to the Midtown hospital for joint-replacement surgeries on Friday, August 14. Based on information from patients’ families and hospital sources, syringes intended to contain pain medication for epidural administration allegedly contained potassium instead.
Potassium chloride is a high-alert medication that can cause life-threatening complications if administered incorrectly. The station reported that hospital personnel began recognizing a problem after patients suffered cardiac emergencies.
At least two patients were reportedly left paralyzed. One was identified as 72-year-old Glenda Dorton of Centerville, who had gone to the hospital for knee-replacement surgery. NewsChannel 5 also reported that a 74-year-old Nashville woman remained in intensive care on a ventilator and that a middle-aged man was among the critically ill patients.
The hospital has not publicly released detailed information about the patients’ conditions, citing patient privacy.
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown has acknowledged that four patients were harmed in what it called an event, but it has not publicly explained precisely how the medication mix-up occurred.
In a statement reported by NewsChannel 5, hospital President and CEO Dr. Shubhada Jagasia apologized for the harm to the patients. She said hospital representatives had met with the affected families and connected them with resources, spiritual-care teams and continuing medical care.
The hospital said it began an internal investigation on the day of the incident, identified the cause and implemented corrective safeguards. According to the statement, clinical teams at the Midtown facility are now following enhanced safety protocols, although the hospital has not disclosed what those safeguards involve.
The Tennessee Health Facilities Commission has reportedly sent personnel to the hospital for an on-site review. The TBI is also investigating, but authorities have not announced any criminal charges or findings of wrongdoing.
NewsChannel 5 reported that there was no current indication the incident was intentional. Metro Nashville Police and the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office reportedly said they did not have investigations open at the time of the report.
Questions remain about how the wrong medication allegedly entered the syringes, whether required verification procedures were followed, when the problem was detected, and what the patients’ long-term outcomes may be. Those facts should become clearer as the investigations proceed and additional information is released.
This post summarizes reporting by NewsChannel 5 and reflects information available as of August 20, 2026. Allegations described in news reports have not necessarily been established through a final government finding or court proceeding.
