A Review of Surgical Emergencies International
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INTERNATIONAL AYURVEDIC MEDICAL JOURNAL Review Article ISSN: 2320 5091 Impact Factor: 4.018 A REVIEW OF SURGICAL EMERGENCIES OF SUSHRUTA SAMHITA Sukrant Sharma1, Bhawna Biloria2, Adil khan3 1Assistant Professor; 2PG Scholar; 3PG Scholar; Department of PG Studies in Shalyatantra, Jammu Institute of Ayurveda and Research, Nardani (Raipur) Jammu, India Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT Sushruta is a pioneer of Indian Surgery and Sushruta Samhita is only complete book, which deals with the prob- lems of practical surgery, especially emergency conditions. Acharya Sushruta has described various surgical emergencies namely; Sadyo vrana, Asthibhagna, Haemorrhage, Ashmari, Chidrodara, Moodgarbh, Bhadgudodara, and their management. Even though, the clear guidelines for various emergencies was described by Acharya Sushruta, but over the due course of time these practices have become obsolete. Surgery is highly developed in contemporary science and emergency management has emerged as a super speciality stream, but still there are certain conditions where they fall short. So, a review of management of surgical emergency according to Acharya Sushruta is being attempted, which may help to find solutions for future. Keywords: Sushruta Samhita, emergency, Sushruta INTRODUCTION Sushruta Samhita is the earliest known authoritative cian of Ayurvedic medicine, Charaka, also recom- treatise on Ayurveda1. It is the most ancient docu- mended Shalya Tantra to treat certain diseases that ment in the field of Surgery not merely of India, but need immediate attention. According to Sushruta, it also of the whole world. Due to its contribution in is best to use Shalya Tantra when the problem with the field of Surgery, Acharya Sushruta, the writer of the body is beyond merely medicinal repair. He ad- Sushruta Samhita is acknowledged as the “Father of vised to use Shalya Tantra in various emergency Surgery”. Sushruta’s original text discusses in an conditions. The treatment not only gives faster relief elaborate manner about a myriad of surgical meth- to the person suffering but is also beneficial in cir- ods that include how to handle different emergency cumstances when the internal medicine fails to cure. conditions like Sadyovrana, Asthibhagna, Ashmari, In the present time, though modern surgery has de- Chidrodara, Moodgarbh etc. The reason why Shalya veloped a lot but the basic procedures used in major Tantra was quite popular as it could provide fast conditions remained same. relief compared to the slower process of recovery from herbs or medicines. The most popular physi- Bhawna Biloria: A Review Of Surgical Emergencies Of Sushruta Samhita MATERIAL AND METHODS reference of absorbable type of suture material in All the references have been collected and compiled history of medicine. from Sushruta Samhita and their available commen- taries. Asthi- Sandhi Bhagna Chikitsa (Fracture and dis- We have also referred the modern text books of Sur- placement of bone and its management) gery like Bailey and Love, K. Das, Primary Surgery Sushruta has given classification of the bones; varie- vol-1(oxford medical publication) and similar other ties of dislocation of joints (Sandhimukta7) and frac- books. ture of shaft (Kandabhagna8) are given systematical- Observation ly. He has given the detail of six types of disloca- Emergency Surgical procedures are widely de- tions and twelve varieties of fractures. He gave the scribed in relation to different conditions in Sushrut principles of fracture treatment, Viz., tight bandage, Samhita. Importance of emergency operative proce- traction, manipulation, appositions and stabiliza- dures was well recognized and it was said that tion9. The same method is still practiced in modern avoidance of some emergency surgeries may have orthopedics. fatal outcome. Some examples of emergency man- agement are as follows: Arrest of Bleeding Management of Sadhyo Vrana (Traumatic Sushruta has pointed out four methods to stop the wound) bleeding; naming as, 1. Sandhan, 2. Skandana, 3. Acharya Sushruta has mentioned the six2 varieties of Dahan, 4. Pachana10. In the Sandhan, steps he had accidental injuries named as; 1. China (excised) 2. advise to make opposition of the cut edges with Bhinna (incised) 3. Viddha (punctured) 4. Kshata stitches; in Skandana, to use cold things, like snow (lacerated) 5. Picchita (crushed) 6. Grishta (abra- or ice which causes thickening of blood by coagula- sion). As the serious injury on vital organ may lead tion; in the Dahan, by cauterization of vessels with to death of the patient, Acharya Sushruta men- kshara (chemicals) or Agni (heat); in Pachana, tioned Shashti upakramas3 (sixty therapeutic proce- application of styptic decoctions, to contract the ves- dures) to cure the Agantuja vrana which also in- sels locally. The technique to use the Agni, to stop cludes Shodhana (purification), Ropana (healing), the bleeding during surgery, is the original concept Bandhana (bandaging), Seevana (suturing) etc. of Sushruta, which is later modified by the modern Acharya Sushruta described the various types of scientist to develop in the form of electric cautery. dressing and dressing materials for the first time to Apart from the use of cautery, he explained use of cover the wound at different sites of body. The 14 astringent herbs through local and oral administra- types of bandages and their application are the tion, which is similar to conventional styptic drugs unique features of Sushruta4. During the bandaging of present era. the use of cotton pad to secure the wound from fric- Ashmari Chikitsa (Treatment of urinary stone) tion is the original theme of Sushruta and it is still Acharya Sushruta was well aware of the urinary in practice. The Suture material of absorbable / non- stones, their varieties; the anatomy of urinary blad- absorbable and synthetic / natural was first described der, along with its relations is well recorded in chap- by Sushruta. According to Sushruta, bark of specific ter ‘Ashmarichikitsopakramah’ (Chapter on urinary plants, silk, hair, tendon are the suture materials5.He stones). Acharya Sushruta considered Ashmari as also used black ants (Lasius niger ) during the sutur- one of the emergency condition, which once not ing of rupture intestine6 which is probably the first treated successfully may lead to the death of the pa- tient11. So he elaborated the detail description of IAMJ: Volume 6, Issue 11, November - 2018 2557 Bhawna Biloria: A Review Of Surgical Emergencies Of Sushruta Samhita methods of extraction (by perineal lithotomy), and defective that medicated plasters, fumigations, etc operative complications and post operative wound are not sufficient to effect a natural delivery. management, which may be the first reference of Badhgudodara Management surgical management of calculus in history of sur- In intestinal obstruction, after proper examination of gery. The extraction of stone from the urinary blad- cause of obstruction– stone, hairs, faeces or other der, by pushing the stone upward through inserting material are removed by making an incision below the finger in rectum, is still helpful in operation of the umbilicus on left side, leaving four finger vesical calculus. breadths from the central line, and four finger Chidrodara and its Management breadth of intestine, is taken out and reinserting it In operations of Chidrodara12 (intestinal perfora- into its normal position, following suturing16, is the tion), the anastomosis of intestine, by clinching the concept of Acharya Sushruta which is in practice head of black ant, is the basic idea of Sushruta, is the today also as laparotomy. best example of usage of biological substance as SandhanKarma absorbable suture material. This is still useful in Plastic surgery is a specialized branch of surgery, modification form, like in place of black ant we use devoted to the treatment of deformities of face and absorbable suture, like catgut. This signifies the con- other parts of body. The importance of plastic sur- cept of absorbable suture material in gut repair, was gery is, to restore the appearance and function of known to ancient Indian surgeons, long back before parts of body destroyed or damaged by disease or the invention of catgut. injury. The plastic operations of otoplasty and Replacement of Blood Volume rhinoplasty are described in Sushruta Samhita. In case of perforation, or piercing of any bodily Dakodara (Ascitis) Management kosthas, attended with excessive haemorrhage or Vedhan karma i.e. tapping is performed. Vedhan is bleeding, the patient was made to drink (a portion of done below left lateral to umbilicus, (4 angula from animal) blood13, was the concept of Acharya line of hair) with the help of Vrihimukha shastra Sushruta, which later established as blood transfu- (trocher), to the depth of thickness of the centre of sion. thumb,and a Nadi (canula) is fixed to the trocher for Moodgarbh Management removing fluid, and abdomen is bandaged tight after It is also considered as a medical emergency, where that. All fluid should not be drained in one day it- saving of mother’s life is important, when foetus is self,as it will lead to complications, was mentioned dead14. Acharya Sushruta’s management of clearly by Sushruta17, which is applicable today also. moodgarbh is somehow similar to the procedure of Management of Dagdh Vranas(Burns)18 caesarian section15 of modern era. Caesarian section Sushruta has divided burns into four types i.e. is more advanced technique, and can save life of Plushta, Durdaghda, Samyak