Nashville hospital leaves patient paralyzed after drug mix-up when they went for routine epidural

Nashville hospital leaves patient paralyzed after drug mix-up when they went for routine epidural A 72-year-old woman admitted for knee surgery has no sensation from her chest down, after an apparent drug mix up that affected three other patients - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments At least one patient has been left permanently paralyzed and three others harmed after anesthetic was inadvertently swapped with a potentially-deadly substance during routine surgery, according to reports. State regulators launched an investigation into the incident at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown in Nashville, Tennessee, which occurred late last week during standard procedures requiring epidurals for pain management. The family of one victim, a 72-year-old woman from Centerville admitted for a knee replacement, told ABC affiliate WKRN she now has no feeling from the chest down. “The joint replacement went wonderful,” her daughter-in-law Kristina Dorton said, describing the patient as someone who has always been active and fit. “Her knee is great. The rest of her is not. “Currently, she has zero feeling, movement, or response to pain from her breastbone down. We don’t know what recovery looks like or if there is recovery. This is life-changing. You don’t come out of this without some type of life-altering, catastrophic deficit.” The hospital confirmed three other patients were involved in the incident but the impact on them is not yet clear. According to News Channel 5 Investigates, the mix-up is believed to have originated in the hospital’s pharmacy. Syringes intended to hold the anesthetic bupivacaine were instead filled with potassium, the outlet reported. A mineral vital for bodily functions, potassium can lead to heart attacks in excessive amounts and is used in lethal injections. “It was supposed to be the anesthetic,” Dorton told WKRN. “It was supposed to be Bupivacaine, and it was potassium, and we don’t know what quantity.” After the mistake was discovered, the elderly woman was sent to intensive care and later transferred to Ascension Saint Thomas West. Her family is currently consulting with legal counsel as treatments to reverse the paralysis have so far failed. The hospital has apologized for any harm caused to patients, adding that it had launched an investigation and identified the cause. However it has not yet confirmed how or why the mix-up occurred. “Our hearts are with the four patients and their families impacted by this event,” Dr. Shubhada Jagasia, President and CEO of the hospital, told WSMV in a statement. “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. “The day of the event, we self-reported to state regulators and launched a thorough investigation. We identified the cause and have implemented corrective safeguards.” The Independent has contacted Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown for further comment. Hospitals are legally bound to notify state regulatory agencies immediately when critical medical errors occur. Though Ascension maintains it promptly filed the required notices, state authorities have declined to elaborate further, confirming only that an inquiry is active. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] Ascension Saint'Thomas MAIN ENTRANCE