The doctor performing a biopsy on Joan Rivers’ vocal cords reportedly stopped to take a selfie with the comedian while in the operating room.

The 81-year-old comedian, who passed away a week following her emergency hospitalisation on September 4, was at the clinic for a routine endoscopy performed by gastroenterologist Dr Lawrence Cohen.

CNN is reporting that a staff member at New York City's Yorkville Endoscopy told investigators that the photo was taken after Dr Lawrence Cohen finished the scheduled endoscopy.

The alleged biopsy was done on the TV presenter without her prior consent. Investigators believe that Ms Rivers' vocal chords began to swell during the biopsy, cutting off her oxygen flow causing cardiac arrest.

Last week, Yorkville Endoscopy issued a statement denying reports that any vocal cord biopsy has ever been done at the clinic, omitting the comedian’s name due to privacy issues. A day after the statement was released, the clinic confirmed that Dr Cohen had resigned from his position as medical director.