Anesthetic and postanesthetic management of sea turtles.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the physiologic effects of inhalation anesthesia in aquatic turtles to improve anesthetic techniques and postanesthetic monitoring.


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


METHODS
9 Kemp's ridley sea turtles.


METHODS
Isoflurane was used as the general anesthetic during 14 minor surgical procedures. Turtles were orotracheally intubated, and a surgical plane of anesthesia was maintained with 2.7 +/- 0.4% (mean +/- SE) isoflurane. The duration of anesthesia was 131 +/- 12 minutes. Pulse rate, blood pressure, blood gases (PaO2 and PaCO2) and pH, blood lactic acid concentration, and capnography were used to evaluate the physiologic responses of sea turtles to isoflurane.


RESULTS
An isoflurane concentration of 3.4 +/- 0.3% provided anesthetic induction in 7 +/- 1 minutes. The mean duration of the recovery phase was 241 +/- 31 minutes. The duration of the recovery phase was not affected by the duration of anesthesia, type of carrier gas, method of ventilatory weaning, or use of selected pharmacologic agents. The recovery phase was characterized by hypoxemia, progressive acidemia, hypercapnia, and lactic acidosis. Awakening in the turtles was preceded by a characteristic tachycardia and tachypnea. All sea turtles recovered from isoflurane anesthesia without apparent adverse effects within 24 hours.


CONCLUSIONS
Isoflurane appears to be safe and effective in providing surgical anesthesia in turtles that require a timely return to an aquatic environment. This study should assist veterinarians in predicting the physiologic responses of aquatic turtles to inhalation agents.
Moon
P F
PF
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550, USA.
Stabenau
E K
EK
D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation / Q000662:veterinary*; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000662:veterinary; D007530:Isoflurane; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000662:veterinary; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000662:veterinary*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011674:Pulse; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014426:Turtles / Q000502:physiology*
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D007530:Isoflurane; D010100:Oxygen