MODEL RELEASED. Epidural anaesthetic. Image 1 of 4. Anaesthetist injecting a local anaesthetic into the lower back of an 83 year old man. The local anaesthetic will numb the area so that a catheter can be inserted to administer an epidural anaesthetic. The anaesthetic will be injected into the epidural space, the space around the membranes that surround the spinal cord. The 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.