An image has leaked online of convicted murderer Christa Pike after she survived execution by lethal injection.

Pike, 50, was set to be executed by lethal injection at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, Tennessee, on Wednesday night.

But what was supposed to be a painless passing for the convicted murderer turned into an hours-long ordeal that she survived.

Her lawyers have claimed the execution team failed at injecting her with a lethal dose of pentobarbital not once, but twice.

They also claim one of the at least seven needles used was bent at a near 90-degree angle after being removed from PIke’s arm, which was left “swollen, burned, and blistered”.

Now an image has been leaked from inside the Tennessee Correction Department of Pike following the attempted execution.

The image reportedly shows her arm severely bruised from the elbow down, caused by internal bleeding and trauma of the failed execution.

While several news outlets have reported on the leaking of the image, most have chosen not to publish the photograph itself.

Pike was rushed to hospital to hospital soon after to receive life-saving care with fears she may never recover from the ordeal.

When asked whether she ever regained consciousness after the execution attempt, Assistant Federal Defender and Pike’s lawyer Stephen Ferrell told CNN’s State Of The Union: “Not that I am aware of.”

Ferrell said a legal battle could soon take place over Pike receiving the death penalty, as she could no longer be deemed competent to face execution.

Correction Department head Frank Strada resigned over the bungled execution which also caused all lethal injections in the state to be suspended amid a review.

Pike’s lawyer Randy Spivey lambasted the Tennessee government a day after the execution, saying the state was “not capable of carrying out an execution consistent with basic human dignity”.

“Last night was not just inefficient, it was cruel, and it was torturous. It was also predictable,” Spivey added.

Witnesses said Pike was “snoring” throughout the process but they were whisked away as problems began to arise.

Her lawyers have urged the state court to order the Tennessee Department of Correction to preserve all evidence from the failed execution.

“Preserving this evidence is essential to understanding what happened, ensuring accountability and protecting Christa’s legal rights,” two of her lawyers said in a statement.