Joan Rivers Biopsy Cut Air Supply: Report

Joan Rivers went into cardiac arrest after a doctor performed a spur-of-the-moment biopsy on the performer’s vocal cords, according to a new report.

 

During the procedure at an outpatient clinic Rivers’ vocal cords seized – a condition called laryngospasm – cutting off her air supply, according to the New York Daily News. After going into cardiac arrest, the 81-year-old comic legend was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital where she died a little more than a week later on Sept. 4.

 

Vocal cord biopsies are typically performed in hospitals, not in outpatient clinics. Rivers was scheduled to have only an exploratory endoscopic procedure performed to find out why her voice had gotten raspy and had not signed off on a biopsy, the Daily News reported.
 

 

However, when the clinic doctor noticed “something” on Rivers’ vocal cords, Rivers’ own doctor decided to perform a biopsy, according to the newspaper.

 

New York State health officials announced last week that they are investigating Rivers’ case, but so far no findings have been made public. There have been no allegations of wrongdoing.

 

An autopsy performed by the medical examiner was inconclusive and more tests are being done to determine cause of death.