After being reported performing an unplanned biopsy on Joan, Yorkville Endoscopy clinic says in a statement that they have never done 'a biopsy of the vocal cords' on patients at their facility.
- Sep 11, 2014
AceShowbiz - Yorkville Endoscopy, the clinic where Joan Rivers stopped breathing a week prior to her death, denied on Wednesday, September 10 ever doing "a biopsy of the vocal cords" on patients at their facility. The clinic issued a statement without mentioning Joan's name after New York Daily News reported that an unplanned biopsy was performed by a doctor who accompanied Joan at the clinic.
The clinic also denied the reports which said they administered general anesthesia on the late comedian when something went wrong. They wrote, "General anesthesia has never been administered at Yorkville Endoscopy. The type of sedation used at Yorkville Endoscopy is monitored anesthesia care. Our anesthesiologists utilize light to moderate sedation."
New York Daily News previously reported that Joan's doctor, who's said to be an ear, nose and throat specialist, asked if he could perform a biopsy when another doctor noticed "something" on Joan's vocal cords. A source told the site, "He asked and they let him. A huge no-no." The biopsy caused Joan's vocal cords to tighten up, a condition which is called laryngospasm, cutting off her air supply and caused her to suffer a cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Joan passed away on September 4, eight days after she was rushed to hospital following cardiac and respiratory arrest. The State Health Department and the medical examiner are currently investigating her death.
Joan's daughter, Melissa Rivers, delivered a funny euology at her mother's funeral. "While I'm glad to see you're socializing, you must refill the hot tub after your parties," she said, "In fact, you need to tone down the parties altogether. Imagine my surprise when I saw the photos you posted on Facebook of your friends frolicking topless in the hot tub."
Melissa then told her late mother of her son Cooper, "It is not OK that you let him have chips and ice cream for dinner. It is not OK that you let him skip school to go to the movies. And it's really not OK that the movie was 'Last Tango in Paris'. I accepted your rationale that it was an educational experience for the boys-and you are right, he is the most popular kid in school right now-but I'd prefer he not learn biology from those 'gentlemen' and their ladies, Bambi, Trixie and Kitten."
She concluded her speech with a joke, "I love having you live with me, and I am grateful for every minute Cooper and I have with you. You are an inspiration. You are also 30 days late with the rent."
