Woman claims hospital injected wrong drug into her spine during knee surgery, leaving her unable to walk

Linda Gilbert, from Nashville, is suing Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown after alleging that staff injected the wrong medication into her spinal canal during knee replacement surgery. Her complaint says the error caused permanent spinal cord and nerve damage, leaving her unable to walk or live independently; the case raises questions about medication checks and the hospital’s response.

The hospital said four patients received potassium phosphate instead of the intended anaesthetic, mepivacaine, on 14 August. Gilbert’s lawsuit alleges staff kept using syringes from the same batch after two patients reported burning pain, and claims there were failures in preparation, verification and treatment. She is seeking $50 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages; the hospital says it is cooperating with the legal process and reviewing corrective actions.