A 72-year-old Middle Tennessee woman is paralyzed after what her family says was a medication mix-up at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown. Glenda Dorton, an avid gardener from Centerville, went to the Nashville hospital on Aug. 14 for a routine knee replacement surgery. Her daughter-in-law, Kristina Dorton, told FOX 17 News that before the surgery, Dorton was given potassium instead of the anesthetic intended for an epidural procedure.
The family was told the medication came directly from the pharmacy and stressed they do not blame her doctors, anesthesiologist, or immediate care team. According to Kristina Dorton, hospital employees said three other patients undergoing joint surgeries that day were treated with what they described as “contaminated vials.” Surgeries were halted after medical staff noticed two patients experiencing similar complications.
Ascension Saint Thomas confirmed four patients were affected by the incident but has not publicly detailed exactly what went wrong or the conditions of the other three patients. Dr. Shubhada Jagasia, president and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown, apologized for the harm caused. “We identified the cause and have implemented corrective safeguards,” Jagasia said in a statement.
The hospital said it self-reported the incident to state regulators the same day and launched an investigation. Jagasia said the clinical teams are now using “enhanced safety protocols” at the Midtown facility. Ascension did not disclose what investigators determined caused the incident or what safeguards were put in place.
Despite the medication issue, Dorton’s knee replacement surgery went forward and initially appeared to have gone well. But when she woke up in recovery, she could not move or feel anything from her sternum down. She was rushed to Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West, where doctors placed her on a ventilator and drained spinal fluid in an effort to remove excess potassium. She was also given a high dose of steroids.
The ventilator was removed Aug. 15, but Dorton still could not move her lower body or feel anything from her rib cage down. Her family was told Aug. 18 that she has T6 paralysis. Her husband of more than 50 years, Marvin Dorton, has remained at her bedside.
The family says it is not interested in assigning blame to individual workers. Instead, they want to understand how the mistake happened and make sure it cannot happen again. Kristina Dorton said the hospital has been transparent and will continue to provide updates.
Ascension said it would not release specific clinical information about the four patients due to patient privacy. “We remain committed to supporting those affected and upholding the highest standards of safety for every person who trusts us with their care,” Jagasia said.
Potassium chloride can be extremely dangerous when administered incorrectly and has been used in Tennessee‘s lethal injection protocol in the past, though the state now uses a different drug.
