Donda West's Doctor Expresses 'Condolences'

Plus: Oprah Winfrey distances herself from the surgeon, who once was a guest

Photo: Stephane Cardinale/People Avenue/Corbis;L.A. County Sheriff's Dept/AP

Jan Adams, the doctor who performed surgery on Kanye West’s mother, has sent his condolences to the West family but declined to discuss the procedure that Donda West underwent before her death.

“I want to first express my deepest condolences to the West family at a very difficult time,” Adams says in a statement to Entertainment Tonight. “As a medical doctor practicing in this field, I hold sacred the bond of confidentiality that exists between the patient and doctor. Out of respect of the West family, and the absence of verifiable information, any comment without having first discussing that information with the family would be unprofessional.”

Donda West, 58, died Saturday in Los Angeles from possible complications from the Friday surgery.

In another development, Oprah Winfrey, who had Adams as a guest on her talk show, moved Tuesday to distance herself from him – and specifically, from a report that she introduced West and Adams.

“Absolutely untrue. Oprah Winfrey did not personally introduce nor recommend Dr. Jan Adams to Donda West,” Winfrey’s rep says. “Dr. Adams taped a segment of The Oprah Winfrey Show on Oct. 28, 2003. Donda West appeared with her son during a taping of The Oprah Winfrey Show on April 27, 2005. Oprah Winfrey has not been in touch with either Dr. Adams or Donda West since their respective appearances.”

An autopsy was conducted Tuesday. A spokesman for the West family has appealed for “privacy during this time of grief.”