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MAC

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Monitored anesthesia care (MAC), also referred to as “conscious sedation” or “local with sedation”. Many procedures are of such an atraumatic and minimally invasive nature they can be performed with an awake but sedated patient. Some procedures can be performed with sedation, with or without local anesthesia administered in the field by the surgeon. Examples of such procedures include colonoscopies, breast biopsies and others. The anesthesiologist is responsible for monitoring the patient, determining and administering a correct level of sedation appropriate for the procedure and for patient comfort and safety. As above, supplemental oxygen is usually provided via nasal cannulae. Small doses of medications are administered to minimize anxiety, promote sedation, and provide analgesia as well as amnesia for the intraoperative period. The patients are monitored for the duration of the procedure and the adequacy of their analgesia is frequently reassessed. At the conclusion of the procedure, the patient is transferred to the PACU where monitoring continues.