Medical Examiner: Joan Rivers Died From a 'Predictable Complication' During Surgery

 

By Taryn Ryder                                        

Joan Rivers ultimately died of a lack of oxygen to her brain suffered during a surgical procedure. That's the essence of the report from the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner following its investigation into the death of the comic legend.

The official ruling was released Thursday. "The cause of Ms. Rivers's death is anoxic encephalopathy due to hypoxic arrest during laryngoscopy and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with Propofol sedation for evaluation of voice changes and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The manner of death is therapeutic complication," the OCME said in a statement.

"The classification of a death as a therapeutic complication means that the death resulted from a predictable complication of medical therapy."

       
Rivers was sedated with the drug Propofol before undergoing a procedure to treat voice changes and acid reflux. Anoxic encephalopathy means that Rivers's brain was deprived of oxygen for a prolonged period of time, which sent her into cardiac arrest. Rivers was then rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she remained in a medically induced coma, unable to breathe her own. On Sept. 4, she was taken off life support and died at the age of 81.

"It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother," Joan's daughter, Melissa, said in a statement at the time. "She passed peacefully at 1:17 p.m. surrounded by family and close friends. My son [Cooper] and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother.

"Cooper and I have found ourselves humbled by the outpouring of love, support, and prayers we have received from around the world. They have been heard and appreciated. My mother's greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon."

                

The Rivers family had no comment on today's announcement, beyond Melissa saying, "We continue to be saddened by our tragic loss and grateful for the enormous outpouring of love and support from around the world.

Both the New York Police Department and the New York State Department of Health are looking into the circumstances surrounding Joan's death, but neither has issued a comment about the status of their investigations.