Tennessee Woman Left Paralyzed After Medication Error During Knee Surgery, Investigation Finds

A routine knee replacement procedure in Tennessee has resulted in a devastating medical incident after a medication error allegedly left a 72-year-old woman with severe paralysis.

Glenda Dorton underwent elective knee surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown in Nashville on August 14. What was expected to be a routine procedure instead became a life-changing event after the wrong medication was reportedly administered through the spine.

According to an investigation and a complaint filed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dorton was one of four patients affected by the medication error. The incident has raised serious concerns about medication preparation, hospital safety procedures and the systems designed to prevent potentially dangerous drug mix-ups.

What Happened During the Tennessee Knee Surgery?

Dorton was undergoing elective orthopedic surgery when the medication error occurred. Her daughter-in-law, Kristina Dorton, later described the consequences of the incident, saying Glenda suffered a severe spinal cord injury and was left paralyzed from around the midsection downward.

The investigation found that the problem began before the patients arrived for their scheduled procedures.

According to an 80-page report, five syringes of medication intended for use as a nerve block were incorrectly prepared for intrathecal spinal administration on August 13. The medication was prepared for patients who were scheduled to undergo elective outpatient orthopedic procedures the following day.

On August 14, the incorrectly prepared medication was administered intrathecally to four surgical patients.

The report stated that the error resulted in immediate and serious harm to the patients. Dorton was among those who required transfer to a higher level of care.

Four Patients Were Reportedly Affected

The incident was not limited to one patient.

According to the CMS complaint cited in the report, at least three additional patients at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown received the incorrect drugs.

By August 21, three of the affected patients were still experiencing significant neurological problems involving their lower extremities. The reported complications included paralysis and loss of sensation extending from approximately the mid-abdominal area downward.

A fourth patient was reportedly receiving life support for their heart and lungs.

The identities of the other patients were not disclosed in the report.

The circumstances have therefore become a wider patient safety concern rather than an isolated medical complication. The investigation indicated that multiple patients were exposed to the medication error, with serious consequences reported in the aftermath.

How the Medication Error Occurred

Medication errors in hospitals can happen at different points in the treatment process, but the investigation described problems occurring before the affected patients underwent surgery.

The report said five syringes intended for a nerve block were incorrectly prepared for intrathecal administration.

Intrathecal administration means medication is delivered into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. Because this route of administration is highly sensitive, an error involving the medication placed into the syringe can have extremely serious consequences.

In this case, the report said the medication was inadvertently administered intrathecally to four patients.

The findings point to failures involving both individual actions and broader hospital systems. A study released by WSMV, a local NBC affiliate, described "active personnel failures and underlying system-level failures" as factors that created conditions allowing the medication error to happen and put patients at risk of serious injury, impairment or death.

Family Describes the Devastating Impact

For Dorton's family, the consequences have been profound.

Kristina Dorton said her 72-year-old mother was left paralyzed from the rib cage downward following the incident. She described the injury as a devastating spinal cord injury and said the mistake also affected three other patients.

The family had reportedly expected the August 14 procedure to be an elective operation. Instead, Dorton faced a major neurological injury requiring a higher level of medical care.

The available report does not provide a detailed long-term prognosis for Dorton. It does, however, document the severity of her condition and the continued neurological impairment experienced by affected patients.

Hospital CEO Apologizes to Patients and Families

Following the incident, Dr. Shubhada Jagasia, president and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown, expressed regret over what happened.

In a statement to FOX 17 News, Jagasia said the hospital's leadership and care teams were deeply sorry for the harm caused to the patients.

She also expressed support for the four patients and their families who were affected by the incident.

The statement came as authorities and healthcare officials examined how the medication was prepared, how it was administered and what safety measures were in place to prevent the error.

The investigation is significant because medication safety in hospitals relies on multiple checks. Problems can occur when those safeguards fail or when communication, preparation and verification processes do not work as intended.

What the Investigation Could Mean for Patient Safety

The Tennessee medication error highlights the importance of strong medication safety systems in hospitals.

A serious drug mix-up can have consequences that extend far beyond the initial mistake. When medications are prepared for different purposes or routes of administration, hospitals must have procedures that help ensure the correct drug reaches the correct patient through the correct route.

The investigation's reference to both personnel failures and system-level failures is particularly important. It suggests that authorities were not looking only at one person's actions but also at the conditions that allowed the error to occur.

Healthcare organizations routinely use protocols intended to reduce medication errors. These can include labeling procedures, pharmacy verification, communication between clinical teams and checks before medication is administered.

The incident at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown demonstrates why those safeguards matter.

What We Know About the Tennessee Hospital Medication Incident

Based on the investigation described in the available report, several key facts have emerged:

• Glenda Dorton, 72, underwent elective knee surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown in Nashville.
• The surgery took place on August 14.
• Five syringes had reportedly been incorrectly prepared the previous day.
• The medication was intended for a nerve block but was prepared for intrathecal spinal administration.
• Four patients received the incorrectly prepared medication.
• The patients experienced immediate and serious harm.
• Dorton suffered a severe spinal cord injury and paralysis.
• Three patients were still experiencing significant lower-extremity neurological impairment as of August 21.
• One patient was reportedly on heart and lung life support.
• Hospital leadership publicly expressed regret over the incident.

A Serious Reminder About Hospital Medication Safety

The case of Glenda Dorton has drawn attention to the potentially devastating consequences of medication errors during medical treatment.

A knee replacement is a common orthopedic procedure, but even routine surgery involves complex processes involving surgeons, nurses, anesthesiology teams and pharmacy staff. Every stage requires careful coordination because an error involving the type, preparation or administration of a medication can dramatically change a patient's outcome.

In Dorton's case, an elective procedure was followed by a severe spinal injury and paralysis, according to the investigation and statements from her family.

The circumstances also affected three other patients, making the incident a broader hospital safety issue.

Authorities' findings will be important in understanding exactly how the medication was prepared, why the incorrect syringes were used and what safeguards failed. The investigation may also help identify changes needed to prevent similar incidents from happening to other patients.

For now, the reported injuries underscore the importance of medication verification and strong safety systems throughout healthcare facilities.

Source

The Mirror, FOX 17 News, WSMV and a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services complaint and investigation, published and updated on August 30, 2026.

Disclaimer

This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal or professional advice. Allegations, investigative findings and statements attributed to officials or family members should not be interpreted as a final determination of legal responsibility. Details may change as investigations or related proceedings continue.