. Epidural anaesthetic. Image 3 of 4. Anaesthetist inserting a needle into a catheter in the lower back of an 83 year old man. The needle will deliver anaesthetic to the epidural space, the space around the membranes that surround the spinal cord. The area around the catheter has been numbed with local anaesthetic. The epidural anaesthetic will cause a loss of sensation and loss of pain in the lower half of the body. The patient is being anaesthetised prior to prostate laser surgery. An epidural is being used instead of a general anaesthetic as the patient is elderly with a history of heart problems. For a sequence showing the procedure see M554/451 to M554/454. MODEL RELEASED