MODEL RELEASED. Epidural anaesthetic. Anaesthetist preparing to give a patient an epidural anaesthetic prior to surgery. The anaesthetic will be injected into the epidural space between the dura mater, the outermost of the three membranes that cover the spine, and the vertebral canal. The anaesthetic will numb the nerves that supply the lower half of the body to prevent the patient from feeling pain during the surgery. Epidural anaesthetic is most commonly used during childbirth, particularly for a Caesarean section, but in this case it is being administered to a male patient who is about to have a hip replacement operation.