The spelling of the word postdural can be explained using the IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable, "post," is pronounced with a long o sound as in "most," and a short o sound as in "hot." The second syllable, "du," is pronounced with a d sound, followed by a long u sound as in "dune." The final syllable, "ral," is pronounced with an r sound, followed by a short a sound as in "cat," and an l sound. Therefore, the correct spelling of this word is "postdural."
Postdural refers to anything that occurs or is located after the dura mater. The term "postdural" is derived from the Latin word "post," meaning after, and "dura," meaning hard.
The dura mater is one of the three layers of membranes (meninges) that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. It is the outermost and toughest layer that acts as a protective covering. Anything that is described as postdural would therefore be situated or occurring in the space or area beyond the dural mater.
In medical contexts, postdural is commonly associated with the term "postdural puncture headache" (PDPH), also known as a spinal headache. This type of headache occurs after an accidental puncture of the dura mater during medical procedures such as spinal anesthesia or a lumbar puncture. The leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through the hole in the dura can cause symptoms such as severe headache, neck pain, dizziness, and nausea.
Postdural can also refer to anatomical structures or medical interventions that are located or performed in the area beyond the dura mater, such as postdural puncture blood patch, which is a procedure used to treat PDPH. Additionally, postdural may be used to describe the position or location of certain medical devices or implants within the spinal canal, such as postdural spinal cord stimulator leads or postdural peridural catheters.
Behind the dura mater.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "postdural" is a medical term used to describe something that occurs after a dural puncture, which refers to the puncture of the dura mater (the tough outermost membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord). However, it is important to note that "postdural" itself is not a standalone word derived from specific etymology principles. Instead, it is a combination of two separate elements: "post-" and "dural".1. "Post-": This prefix comes from Latin and implies "after" or "behind".
2. "Dural": It is a derived term that comes from the noun "dura mater", which originates from Latin. "Dura" means "hard" or "tough", and "mater" means "mother". Hence, the dura mater is often referred to as the "hard mother" due to its protective nature surrounding the brain and spinal cord.