03 — Anesthetic Technique
Monitored Anesthesia Care
Physician-directed anesthesia care for procedures, with the patient assessed, monitored and supported at every level from relaxed to deeply asleep.
About this technique
Monitored anesthesia care, or MAC, is an anesthesia service in which qualified anesthesia personnel provide assessment, monitoring and support throughout a procedure. It is distinct from moderate sedation administered by the procedural team: Dr. Seitz is continuously present and devoted to the patient, titrating sedation and analgesia while oxygenation, ventilation, circulation and temperature are evaluated.
Sedation exists on a continuum from minimal sedation to general anesthesia, and patients may move along that continuum during a case. Because depth cannot always be predicted, a defining feature of MAC is readiness: Dr. Seitz is prepared to manage the airway and to provide general anesthesia if the procedure or the patient requires it.
MAC is commonly used for procedures performed with local anesthesia or nerve blocks, and for patients whose medical condition calls for close physician-level monitoring even when little sedation is planned. The aim is patient comfort at a level of sedation appropriate to the procedure, with the depth matched to the individual rather than to a fixed recipe.
Questions patients ask
- What types of anesthesia services does Dr. Seitz provide?
- Dr. Seitz provides anesthesia services for surgical, office-based, obstetric, and procedural settings, with a focus on patient safety, comfort, and individualized care.
- Can Dr. Seitz provide anesthesia at our office or surgery center?
- Yes. Dr. Seitz has experience providing anesthesia care in office-based and ambulatory settings across a variety of specialties and procedures. Practices without an in-house anesthesia team can arrange on-site coverage directly with Dr. Seitz, bringing physician-level anesthesia care to the office or surgery center where the procedure is performed, under the standards applicable to that setting.
Read more
General vs. Regional Anesthesia: How the Choice Is Made
A plain-language explanation of the two major anesthesia approaches and why one might be recommended for your procedure.
Read the articleOther techniques
- 01
Total Intravenous Anesthesia (TIVA)
Anesthesia maintained with intravenous medications, adjusted to the patient's needs throughout the procedure.
- 02
General Anesthesia
Monitored anesthesia for major and complex surgery, with individualized dosing and support of vital functions throughout the operation.
- 04
Regional Anesthesia & Nerve Blocks
Targeted numbing techniques that provide focused pain relief and may reduce the need for opioid pain medicines.
- 05
Procedural Anesthesia
Individualized anesthesia and sedation for surgical and nonsurgical procedures, with monitoring selected according to the patient's needs and the planned anesthesia.
- 06
Obstetric Anesthesia
Labor epidurals and anesthesia for cesarean delivery, planned to support maternal comfort and maternal and fetal well-being.