Grant: 17-032C
Project Title: Marine Science Center Anesthesia and Surgery Equipment Upgrade
Project Manager: Michael Brothers
Organization: Friends of the Marine Science Center (Non-Profit Organization)
Grant Amount: $12,383.85
Completion Date: 2018-07-26

Summary: The project will purchase an adjustable respiratory ventilator that will provide precise respirations to sea turtles under anesthesia while freeing up a staff member to perform other essential husbandry and veterinary tasks around the VCMSC. As an added bonus, the ventilator will be used to provide around the clock respirations to turtles admitted to the hospital needed respiratory assistance. In addition, the project will purchase an ethylene oxide gas sterilization unit and one year of supplies that will allow the staff to efficiently and thoroughly sterilize non-autoclavable items such as endoscopes. Lastly, the project will purchase new surgical packs.

Results: The grant has provided the funds for a ventilator, circuit, and stand;Orthopedic Surgical Pack; the General Surgical Packs; the Gas Sterilizer, the ampules and the self-scaling pouches. This ventilator has already been put to use during surgical procedures. It has been especially valuable in some critical care situations. In addition, the ventilator has been used for sea turtles needing assisted ventilation which previously had been done manually. This has freed up staff for attending to other husbandry and treatment tasks while allowing turtles to be treated overnight for the first time at the VCNSC.