NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Imagine going in for what is supposed to be routine surgery and being left permanently paralyzed.
That's what several families are dealing with after procedures late last week at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown here in Nashville.
The hospital is not providing many details, but NewsChannel 5 Investigates talked with one of those families. Here's what we can tell you.
Last Friday, at least four people went to Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown in Nashville for joint replacement surgeries, and a drug mix-up led to things going horribly wrong in the operating room.
The family of a Centerville woman who was there for a knee replacement told NewsChannel 5 Investigates that she is now permanently paralyzed from the chest down.
She was supposed to have had an epidural for pain, but the wrong medication was injected. She was not the only one. There were at least three others.
The hospital told us in a statement, "Our hearts are with the four patients and their families impacted by this event."
The statement from Dr. Shubhada Jagasia, the President and CEO of the hospital, went on to say, "On behalf of our leadership and care teams, I am deeply sorry for the harm caused to our patients. We have met directly with each of the families to express our deep support, connected them with spiritual care teams, and ensured they have access to all appropriate resources and ongoing care needed."
When something like this happens, hospitals are required to immediately report it to state regulators. Ascension maintains it did. State regulators will only say they are investigating.
Again, the hospital is not sharing much information about how this drug mix-up happened. We've been told it happened in the pharmacy where instead of putting an anesthetic called bupivacaine into the syringes used in these procedures, somehow they were filled with potassium, which can be lethal.
In fact, potassium is one of the drugs often used in lethal injections because it stops the heart.
The hospital said in its statement that "the day of the event...[it] launched a thorough investigation...identified the cause and [they] have implemented corrective safeguards."
The family of the Centerville woman said after the hospital discovered what had happened, she was transferred to Ascension Saint Thomas West where she remains in the ICU.
Her family is now speaking with an attorney.
If you or someone you know was impacted by this medical mistake, I'd like to hear from you. Please email me at Jennifer.Kraus@newschannel5.com.
