Joan Rivers predicted she would die under the knife

Los Angeles - Joan Rivers feared she would die during plastic surgery.

The 81-year-old comedienne - who passed away on Thursday night after being put into an induced coma last week when she suffered a cardiac arrest during a routine operation on her vocal cords - admitted in the past that she thought her love of cosmetic procedures would be the death of her.

According to The Sun newspaper, she said in a previously unpublished chat: "I want more surgery immediately but I think I will probably wait a year because often at this age they put you down and you don't come back - they make you cross your arms just in case!"

The Fashion Police host - who joked that she'd gone under the knife 700 times - also revealed her desire to remain looking young for television audiences.

She said: "I think it will be fabulous to die on the operation table because the publicity would keep the Fashion Police re-runs going for years. Plus no one will say, 'How old?'

"Nobody wants to see an old face because it reminds you of your own mortality. I believe in plastic surgery to make the viewer feel better."

Joan's daughter Melissa has paid tribute to her mother on her mothers Instagram account saying