The Bristol baby deaths inquiry last week heard a surgeon dismiss as 'hypothesis' claims that babies' lives could have been saved if he had learned better operating techniques earlier.

Janardan Dhasmana told the General Medical Council that even after the deaths of the first three babies, on whom he had performed 'switch' operations, he still had faith in the set-up at Bristol Royal Infirmary.

The GMC's professional conduct committee has heard that two more babies were to die on the operating table before Mr Dhasmana went to see surgeon William Brawn perform a switch procedure - where the two main arteries are transposed - at Birmingham Children's Hospital in 1992.

Three of Mr Dhasmana's next four neonatal operations were successful, although a total of nine out of 13 babies died before the final fatality in October 1993.

Under questioning, Mr Dhasmana said he saw no reason to stop the switch programme after the death of the third baby in June 1992.

Asked by Roger Henderson QC if he accepted he would have learned lessons if he had gone to Birmingham earlier, Mr Dhasmana said, 'that is hypothesis'.

Mr Dhasmana is accused of carrying on with the switch programme despite warnings that his mortality and morbidity rates were too high.

Fellow surgeon James Wisheart denies similar allegations regarding hole-in-the-heart operations on infants at the infirmary.

Dr John Roylance, former chief executive of United Bristol healthcare trust, denies failing to act on warnings to stop the operations.

The case continues.