Located or occurring on top of the dura mater, the tough outer membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
From 'epi-' (upon) and 'dural' (relating to the dura mater). The dura mater comes from Medieval Latin meaning 'hard mother,' reflecting ancient anatomical descriptions.
Medical procedures like epidural injections are actually 'epi-dural'—placed on top of the dura—and this prefix system helped doctors precisely describe exactly where inside the body they were working, revolutionizing surgical accuracy.
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