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Joan Rivers' doctors were reportedly not administering CPR when medics arrived following her botched throat procedure. The comedienne passed away September 4 at the age of 81, days after undergoing a procedure at Yorkville Endoscopy in New York City. Joan was reportedly put under at 9 a.m. August 28 and recent reports suggested specialists performing the procedure failed to immediately notice deteriorating vital signs.
'They should have stopped the procedure and started resuscitation right away'
A new report indicates surgeons delayed calling 911 and were not attempting to resuscitate the star when emergency medical technicians arrived.
“AIDED FEM 80 YRS - CPR IS NOT BEING GIVEN,” reads an EMT record logged at 9:42 a.m. obtained by the New York Post.
Citing "interviews, confidential EMT records and a federal report", the newspaper echoes previous claims the facility's former medical director, Dr. Lawrence Cohen, and ENT Dr. Gwen Korovin failed to respond appropriately.
EMTs were able to resuscitate Joan's heart and get oxygen to her lungs upon their arrival. However, the comedienne had reportedly been deprived of oxygen for several minutes at that point.
She was later entered into medically induced coma from which she never woke up.
Medical sources claim swifter actions could have saved the star's life.
“They should have stopped the procedure and started resuscitation right away and done an emergency tracheotomy if there was any obstruction,” the source said. “Maybe she would still be alive.”
The claims follow just days after ABC News reported on findings by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
“Physicians in charge of the care of the patient failed to identify deteriorating vital signs and provide timely intervention during the procedure,” stated the document.
Doctors Korovin and Cohen had not immediately responded to the claims.
A spokesperson for Joan's daughter, Melissa, had also declined to comment.
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