A judge today (Thurs) told how he fled a dentist’s

A judge today (Thurs) told how he fled a dentist’s surgery in terror after suffering a reaction to the anaesthetic.

Lawrence Cohen, QC, had specifically asked Harley Street dentist Peter Harvey not to use a ‘numbing needle’ because it gave him heart palpitations and giddiness, and made him shake uncontrollably.

But he said Dr Harvey deliberately injected his gum with Xylotox as he worked on replacing a crown.

Mr Cohen said the dentist put the reaction down to low blood sugar levels and advised him to eat a sticky bun.

But despite finding Dr Harvey guilty of serious professional misconduct the General Dental Council decided to take no further action against him.

Part-time recorder Mr Cohen, 49, ran from the surgery in a rage after realising what the dentist had done.

He was so affected by the drug that he had to sit on the doorstep outside for half-an-hour before calling a cab to take him home.

Mr Cohen claimed he suffered shaking for two days afterwards.

He told the General Dental Council in Wimpole Street in London’s West End: ‘A minute after he gave me the shot I started feeling funny.

‘I was feeling dizzy.

My head was spinning, and my mind was wondering.

‘The whole world was going round and my heart was thumping away.

‘Then I started to shake.

I felt I should not have been in that position on a second occasion.

‘I was in a rage really, I felt angry.

‘I had specifically said that I did not want him to do this.

‘I left the surgery as quickly as I possibly could.

‘

Sarah Vaughan-Jones, for the GDC, told the hearing Dr Harvey had put the reaction down to low blood sugar levels and advised Mr Cohen to drink sweet tea and eat sticky cakes.

She said: ‘Dr Harvey told Mr Cohen Xylotox had been used again and when asked why he said he would only use it if it was absolutely necessary.

‘Mr Cohen was dismayed to note it was an apparently deliberate decision to use the drug.

‘

Mr Cohen, of Elgin Avenue, Maida Vale, west London, later wrote to the GDC to complain.

Dr Harvey admitted administering the drug on June 14 last year contrary to the patient’s express instructions.

He was found guilty of serious professional misconduct but the GDC made no order against him.

ends

mmmm