Authorities in the state of Tennessee, USA are currently investigating a medical accident that occurred at a hospital in Nashville. According to the families of the victims, a week ago, the hospital mistakenly administered the wrong medication during routine joint replacement surgeries for four patients, leading to catastrophic complications, with two of them ending up paralyzed. The hospital issued a statement on Friday, August 21, confirming the medication error.
The incident took place at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown in Nashville on August 14.
Later on Friday afternoon, the renowned healthcare facility in the United States confirmed in a statement that the “medication error” occurred in the hospital pharmacy, resulting in the injection of potassium phosphate instead of the usual anesthetic into the spines of the four patients, who then experienced “adverse health reactions and received immediate medical care.”
As reported by the local Nashville television station WTVF (NewsChannel 5) affiliated with the American network CBS on Friday evening, two of the patients’ families shared that 72-year-old female patient Glenda Dorton was paralyzed as a result, while another 74-year-old female patient was placed in the intensive care unit and was still on a ventilator at the time of the latest updates.
In its statement, Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown mentioned that “several changes” had been made to the hospital pharmacy and safety protocols to prevent such errors from happening again.
Hospital President and CEO Shubhada Jagasia issued an apology in a statement on Tuesday to the patients and their families, expressing that the hospital had individually met with each family, offered support, arranged for a mental health care team, and ensured they had access to all necessary resources and ongoing care.
The hospital reiterated its concern for the four patients and their families in Friday’s statement, expressing, “We offer our deepest apologies for the harm caused. Our clinical team continues to provide specialized care for these four individuals, and we are providing comprehensive support and mental health resources to their relatives.”
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed to Fox News on Saturday that following information provided by the Tennessee Healthcare Facilities Commission on Friday, they are investigating the incident.