Posted on 09/10/2014 3:49:35 AM PDT by iowamark
EXCLUSIVE: The late comedian went to Yorkville Endoscopy for a routine endoscopy on Aug. 28, but a doctor — who arrived with Rivers' entourage — offered to perform a biopsy after another doctor noticed 'something' on the entertainer's vocal chords, a medical source told the Daily News.
The routine surgical procedure Joan Rivers was supposed to undergo turned deadly when a doctor who arrived at the clinic with the legendary comic’s entourage performed an unplanned biopsy on her vocal cords, a medical source who was briefed on the case told The News.
Such a procedure is not supposed to be performed outside of a hospital, according to medical experts.
The Aug. 28 biopsy at Yorkville Endoscopy, an E. 93rd St. clinic that usually only deals with digestive issues, caused Rivers' vocal chords to seize — a condition doctors call a laryngospasm — cutting off her air supply, the source said.
“A biopsy like that should only be done in a hospital setting,” the source said.
“If she had been in a hospital when it happened, she might have been okay,” the source said.
Rivers’ doctor — who identified himself as an ear, nose and throat specialist — asked if he could use their instruments when the clinic’s doctor noticed "something" on Rivers’ vocal chords, according to the source.
“He asked and they let him,” the source said. “A huge no-no.”
The source added that the “Fashion Police” star had only signed off on an endoscopy — not the far more dangerous biopsy of her vocal chords...
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
Unbelieveable!
Thanks for posting...!
wow...
What a shame.
“Stars” get unbelievably bad medical care (in general).
They search and search until they find a doctor who will do what he is told, like the rest of their posse.
Definitely a malpractice suit here. The lawyers will make a fortune.
It’s actually worse than that. THey hunt for doctors, many times not even board certified, to do procedures...eg botox and face lifts, on the cheap.
I’m sure it was planned ahead of time, ie, Joan didn’t want to spend he money and brought in her specialist for just the reason, in case she needed a biopsy.
I’m wondering if they even had oxygen there or IVs. Or instruments to do a trach, although you wouldn’t need one, but I think too, this information is being leaked by the clinic to put blame on the outsider. This is ludicrous as they’re all complicit.
Sad, sad, sad....
Wouldn’t the endoscopy be under a local anesthetic and the biopsy a general?
Is that the technical term?
Yes, as are “s* pile” and “a* load.”
Such as the amount of money for which they’re going to be sued.
Michael Jackson, John Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Steve McQueen, Howard Hughes... Being rich kills.
Example:James Garfield was murdered by the top level care he received from the best doctors of his day, all of whom insisted on poking their fingers into his bullet wound, until he died, after two months, from infection. This was 15 years AFTER Lister had developed antiseptic routines.
I’m wondering if they even had oxygen there...
but I think too...
Geez! Speculate much, nikos1121?
And this, Ladies and Gents, is why you have these things done in a hospital. That other clown wouldn’t have been in the OR.
I don't know about that.
The "doctors to the stars" I have known didn't come cheap.
She didn’t want to spend the money? As a medical health procedure it would have been covered under her insurance.
In the hospital where my wife works they would not have let this other Dr, without privileges, anywhere near a patient. Next, they would not have let him perform a procedure that was not approved by the patient.
The, not so obvious thing, about hospitals is that there are usually two or three people checking and cross checking these things in the operating suite.
Not all, only those who are demanding of there way regardless of consequences. Elvis and M. Jackson were 2 such individuals. Look what it got them. DEAD.
My step niece is married to the Dr from Love Boat, Bernie Koppel, and she uses only the best qualified doctors. She even flew her dad out to Tarzana where they live to have his shoulder replaced by a renown sports surgeon who specializes in it. Did the same when he had his knee replaced.
She lives on the same street as Chuck Norris and he is a fitness buff besides his other roles in life.
Even common people make the same mistake with dr’s, don’t let those rating places fool you, any one can put it up and make claims. I canned our last PCP as a IDIOT. He OD my husband on Crestor, from which he’d of died if I’d not caught the signs of it fast, and had dirty specimen cups so pee test came back needing a antibiotic. Caused a very serious bladder issue for me. Besides he kept ordering the same antibiotics I was allergic to, and told him numerous times I was. Which is why he is NOW the ex internist.
Then my episode with the ENT for Inner Ear Perfusion was medical malpractice plain flat and simple, I can’t prove a thing, they allow no representative back with the patient. And his was the biggest name in Memphis Ear specialist with it’s own stand alone surgery with a motel chain next to it for those who needed more serious surgeries. He had no anthologist, just guess at the Versed he needs for the 6-8 min 3 day procedure. He guessed wrong. I came up off the OR table with the first laser hole, he had me held down to finish with out more Versed. It went down hill from there. He damaged Cervical discs that were already in a state of degeneration. Now I wear twin hearing aids as the procedure killed half my low freq sounds. And have a new ENT.
BTW I see the Gastro to day. Maybe he will have answers to Colitis Ileus I’ve suddenly developed. Best Gastro in Memphis.
You’re point is so succinct and well-made. I remember the horrible neglect suffered by Howard Hughes because of his fame and billionaire status. His doctors were reduced to servile flunkies.
<< She didn’t want to spend the money? As a medical health procedure it would have been covered under her insurance. >>
Not necessarily if it was an elective procedure.
Same Versed Cocktail mix they use for colon screens and cataract surgery, even upper GI’s. My gastro has his own clinic surgery center, it is set up much like a mini hospital. I get Upper GI’s every 2 yrs because of Barrett’s Esophagus, legacy of long term drug induced GERD. It can turn cancerous, so he does the every 2 yr biopsy.
Versed Cocktail fentanyl/versed/propofol a typical cocktail used by Gastro’s and Cataract surgeons. It works well, fast, and has fewer complications than the older anesthesia. You are not under as long either and wake up fairly clear headed, a cup of coffee clears away any lassitude fast. How long you are actually under is controlled by the anthologist, he can just add more if the surgeon needs more time.
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