Did Joan Rivers Undergo A Fatal Biopsy? Clinic Refutes All Claims

Did Joan Rivers undergo a fatal biopsy? If so, where was it performed?

The Daily News is reporting that Yorktown Endoscopy is claiming that “a type of biopsy on the vocal cords” has never been performed at that facility. This claim comes a day after the Daily News revealed that a doctor who accompanied Rivers to the clinic performed the unplanned fatal biopsy. Rivers had only agreed to the endoscopy to discover “why her voice had gotten so raspy.”

The clinic also refuted reports that the 81-year-old comic was under general anesthesia when something went wrong. “General anesthesia has never been administered at Yorkville Endoscopy,” it said. “The type of sedation used at Yorkville Endoscopy is monitored anesthesia care. Our anesthesiologists utilize light to moderate sedation.”

Citing confidentiality rules, the clinic on E. 93rd St., which specializes in digestive issues, did not mention Rivers by name in its statement.

Yet it was that clinic where Rivers suffered complications from the fatal biopsy and died eight days later. The incident is currently being investigated by the State Health Department and the medical examiner.

There was no immediate comment from River’s daughter, Melissa, who is in currently in California executing her mother’s will. A family friend, Martin Fletcher, said Melissa Rivers was taking Joan River’s ashes following Joan’s will, but he did not know what that plan was.

He said Melissa does plan to keep the cards that have been left on the huge memorial erected for Joan Rivers after her death. “We’ll take two cards up to symbolize all the fans who have left stuff,” he said. “Everything will be kept. When Melissa’s ready, she’ll read all the cards.

The Daily Mail is reporting that the doctor who accompanied her to the clinic was a personal doctor. It has also been reported that during the endoscopy and/or biopsy, she stopped breathing and was put on life support until it was decided to cease life support systems.

A source told the New York Daily News that doctors at the clinic found ‘something’ on her vocal cords. At that point, her personal doctor asked to do a biopsy using the instruments at the clinic. The clinic’s staff agreed, and the doctor began the biopsy. During the biopsy, her vocal cords spasmed and her airway constricted, leading to the issue.

The source said, “He asked and they let him. A huge no-no.”

The source claimed that had the procedure been done in a hospital the comedian might not have died after doctors placed her in a medically induced coma after she went into cardiac arrest that morning.

No one from Rivers’ team commented on the new statement.

The identity of Rivers’ doctor, who identified himself as an ear, nose and throat specialist, is not known at this time.