Joan Rivers’ doctor reportedly took a selfie in the procedure room while the comedy legend was under anesthestic, shortly before she suffered cardiac arrest.
According to CNN, an unidentified staff member at Manhattan’s Yorkville Endoscopy clinic allegedly took a snap of himself shortly before starting a biopsy on her vocal cords.
Joan Rivers
Joan was at the clinic for a pre-arranged endoscopy, which involved the star having a camera put down her throat, which was intended to help diagnose problems she was having with a sore throat.
However, a source close to the investigation into her death has now told CNN that when the procedure was complete, a biopsy was then reportedly performed on Joan’s vocal cords by another doctor, without her prior consent, during which she suffered cardiac arrest.
The source claims that Joan’s vocal cords began to swell during the procedure, cutting off the supply of oxygen to her lungs and causing her to suffer cardiac arrest.
The clinic issued a statement last Thursday to deny reports that a biopsy had taken place.
A week after suffering cardiac arrest, Joan died in hospital at the age of 81.
Her funeral was held near her home in New York earlier this month, with stars including fellow comedians Kathy Griffin and Whoopi Goldberg, and her ‘Fashion Police’ co-presenter Kelly Osbourne coming out to pay their respects to the entertainment icon.
Hugh Jackman revealed last week that he’d been asked by Joan years earlier to perform the musical number, ‘Quiet Please, There’s A Lady On Stage’ from ‘The Boy From Oz’, which he described as a “very touching” tribute.
