An anaesthetist whose five-year-old patient died after an operation to have a tooth removed failed to act quickly enough, a hearing has been told.

The General Medical Council (GMC) heard how Karla Selley died after an operation to remove a milk tooth in August 1999.

She had been given a general anaesthetic because she was frightened of injections, but choked to death as she began to recover consciousness at the Town-gate Dental Surgery in Leyland.

The GMC's professional conduct committee heard anaesthetist Dr George Vanner's actions were "inappropriate, unprofessional and not in the patients best interests".

Procedural doubts

Vivian Robinson QC, for the GMC, said the girl, who came from Leyland, went "a strange grey colour" as she came round.

Dr Vanner, who lives in Preston, and dentist Michael Lane, who was carrying out the procedure were cleared of manslaughter at Preston Crown Court in February last year.

Mr Robinson said this inquiry was "a very different investigation" and that doubts about Dr Vanner's procedures, which emerged during inquiries before the trial, had led to the hearing.

Dr Vanner, now aged 68, is alleged to have failed to ensure that the anaesthetic and monitoring equipment were up to standard.

He is also alleged to have delayed the use of a defibrillator, to have failed to have a dedicated assistant present, to have failed to monitor the patient properly and failed to administer suction when it was clear his patient could not breathe.

Dr Vanner did not attend the hearing on Monday.

In a statement read out to the committee he said his presence was likely to cause distress to the girl's family.