Media trial of Indian American doctor decried

Though no formal case has been filed against Dr Renuka Reddy Bankulla, 47, an anesthesiologist in New York, the media is in a frenzied trial of her for her role in the death of 81 year old comedienne Joan Rivers, in September last year.

Rivers went to the upscale Yorkville Endoscopy in New York City to check her vocal cords to find out what was causing her problems for her voice. During the procedure on August 28 she went into cardiac arrest and died on September 4th.

She was treated by medical director Lawrence Cohen and celebrity ear, nose and throat doctor, Gwen Kororvin, whose names were revealed earlier. But Bankulla’s name was not revealed till a New York Post reporter met her near her home in Scarsdale, New York, a few days ago and published a report and photo of an anguished looking doctor. She refused to speak to them and left the scene immediately. 

The report became fodder for the trial in the media to look in to problems and mistakes by the physicians involved in the procedure.

Bankulla and her lawyer refused to comment to the media. The speculation is that the anesthesiologist could have prevented the death.

Bankulla told investigators that she gave Rivers 120 milligrams of the powerful anaesthetic Propofol (the same anesthetic that was involved in the death of Michael Jackson) — not the 300 stated in medical records. She explained that she had mistakenly double-clicked on computerized records, as per reports. Dr Bankulla failed to record Rivers’ weight, which is critical to determining how much anaesthesia to administer.

Investigators for the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services attempted to question Bankulla, but she declined to cooperate saying she had been advised by lawyers not to discuss the case. The 22-page report from CMS on Rivers’ death was critical of the clinic.

It also cited errors during the procedure ‘The physicians in charge of the patient failed to identify deteriorating vital signs and provide timely intervention during the procedure,’ it said.

Meanwhile reports said that Rivers’s daughter Melissa Rivers is planning a multi,million civil suit against those involved in the treatment.