Resource
Monitored anesthetic care
This website resource describes what you can generally expect during monitored anesthetic care at Vancouver General Hospital or UBC Hospital.
Related: Patient guide to anesthesia
Monitored anesthetic care is commonly used for:
- minor procedures such as skin lesions under local anesthetic
- procedures that it is necessary for you to be awake to do safely (some voice and brain surgery)
- endoscopy procedures (gastroscopy and colonoscopy)
Anesthesiologists are specialist doctors who have undergone many years of training to perform this procedure. Your treating anesthesiologist will discuss what they believe is the best way to care for you during your procedure.
They’ll discuss with you what their plan for the anesthetic involves and answer any questions you have. After you’ve changed into a patient gown, you’ll have an intravenous line placed by one of the nurses in the preoperative areas, and monitoring put on.
When the room is ready for you, you will be taken to the operating room. A routine safety briefing discussion with all of the people involved in your operation will occur.
During monitored anesthetic care, you will be attached to monitoring such as an oxygen level monitor, blood pressure cuff and heart monitor. You will often receive some sedation medication to help you relax. You will often have an oxygen mask on.
It is normal to remember what happens during a procedure with monitored anesthetic care. Your anesthesiologist will stay with you the whole time to make sure that you are safe and comfortable.
Rarely, it is necessary to convert monitored anesthetic care to a general anesthetic during a procedure. If this is needed, your anesthesiologist is always ready to do it.