Doctors reportedly have removed Bobbi's breathing tube and performed a tracheotomy on her to avoid infections as she 'remains in a critical conditions.'
- Feb 20, 2015
AceShowbiz - Bobbi Kristina Brown reportedly underwent a tracheotomy after her breathing tube was removed on Tuesday, February 17. A source told Radar Online, "[Doctors] removed her breathing tube Tuesday because there were complications with it. They had to then do a tracheotomy and put a tube in that way."
"She is still alive," the source added, "Everyone is praying for her. She is young and she is strong. At the same time, everybody knows that she remains in a critical conditions. But there is no talk at this point about 'pulling the plug.' "
A medical professional told the site about the procedure, "The longer someone is on a breathing tube via their mouths, the risk for infections, breathing problems just increases significantly. The advantage of a tracheotomy is that it's a direct airway into the trachea (windpipe). It's a surgical procedure that is done in surgery, and definitely not performed in a patient's room."
CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said, "This is an indication that the patient will need this for weeks and months to come, as opposed to hours and days."
A family source told PEOPLE that Bobbi "is still critical and we don't know what the outcome will be. No one is giving up on this kid." The source added, "There's a medical reason behind [the tracheotomy], but it's making things clear to everyone how serious this is. Even if she wakes up, there's a possibility that this could do some damage to her vocal cords, I hear."
In other news, Bobby Brown's wife Alicia Etheredge has broken her silence on Bobbi's condition. Alicia told a TMZ photographer at LAX on Wednesday, "The prayers, we are grateful for them, and keep them coming." When asked about Nick Gordon, she replied, "I don't have any comment on him."
