Review Article International Ayurvedic Medical Journal ISSN:2320 5091

PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY IN AYURVED Ahuja Deepak Kumar1 Mishra Vandana2 1Dept of Shalakya Tantra, S. R. M. State Ayurvedic College, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, 2 Practioner, Bareilly, UP, India

ABSTRACT Sandhan karma as described by Acharya is a very old science which can be compared with the or reconstructive surgery in recent times. It is however very difficult to say when the first reconstructive operation on mankind was performed. , which describes the ancient tradition of surgery in India, contains detailed descriptions of teachings and practice of the great ancient surgeon Acharya Sushruta. He has written about all the surgical diseases, their causes, types, prognosis and treatment, especially about the wounds. There are several Siddhanta or basic principles of Sushruta which are at the root of today’s surgery. Shashti-Upakrama is one among these principles. Shashti-Upakrama is the sixty types of treatment described for wound. Sandhan-Upakrama is one of them. Dalhana described the term Sandhana as unions of organs which are separated due to injury or trauma in his commentary. Today Sandhan is at its advanced position in the form of plastic and reconstructive surgery. But originally it was initiated with the Rhinoplasty operation performed by Sushruta called as Nasasandhan. Besides this, Sushruta has also performed KarnaSandhan (lobuloplasty) and Oshtha Sandhan. The aim of the study is to review the Sandhan-Upakram in historical (vedic) and ayurvedic texts and compare it with the present era’s plastic and reconstructive surgery. Keywords: Sandhana karma, Plastic surgery, Reconstructive surgery, Nasasandhan, Ostha- sandhan

INTRODUCTION Sangraha mainly deals with Plastic surgery is a medical specialty deals knowledge while Sushruta Samhita deals with the repair, reconstruction or replace- mainly with surgical knowledge. Compli- ment of physical defects of form or function cated surgeries like Caesareans, Cataract, involving the face or other parts of body. artificial limbs, fractures, urinary stones, The term plastic derived from Greek word plastic surgery (Sandhana Karma) proce- Plastikos, meaning to mould. There are so dures including pre-operative and post-oper- many Samhitas and Granthas those are ative treatment along with complications are dealing with . Among them Cha- written in Sushruta Samhita , which are sur- raka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and As- prisingly applicable even in present time. tanga Sangraha are the three main pillars of The plastic operation of ear (Otoplasty) and Ayurveda. and Astanga plastic operation of nose (Rhinoplasty) are Ahuja Deepak & Mishra Vandana: Plastic and reconstructive surgery in Ayurved described in Sutra sthana 16th chapter. Re- ras show them interest in learning Madhu constructive plastic surgery is oldest type of Vidya. So they cut head of Dadyyancha and surgery of the world. In older time, for giv- kept separate. Then they transplant the head ing punishment to the prisoners of wars and of horse to the body of Dadhyancha and making marks for unfaithful wives amputa- learn Madhu Vidya from them. After learn tion of nose and cutting of ear lobule, was Madhu Vidya, they transplant his own head4. done by kings. Surgeons were doing recon- Dakshya cut head and trunk of Chyavan. structive surgeries for giving correction Ashwini kumaras performed the first plastic them. The procedure of Rhinoplasty was operation to join them.5 According to Upani- written in Sushruta Samhita which is almost shad, Ashwini kumaras also operated and 800 B.C. old literature. repaired the excised head of Yagyana by References of Plastic and Reconstructive Rudra. Ashwini kumaras were doing both Surgery in Vedas homo and hetero transplantations at that Oldest references of Sandhan karma found time. today even before Aacharya Sushruta, are of Concept of Plastic and Reconstructive Vedic times. In Vedik era, science of Sand- Surgery in Ayurveda han karma was also well developed. Ash- The origin of Ayurveda occurs from Vedas. wini kumaras were the chief surgeons of It is also called fifth Veda. Ashwini kumaras vedic period. There are so many examples of are knows as Dev Vaidya in Ayurveda. They their work in the field of plastic surgery, have done excellent surgical work in Ayur- surgery, Ophthalmology and orthopedic. veda. Rigveda is full of examples of their Lord Shiva cuts the head of Ganesha in an- works. They operated the eyes of Reejashva. ger and after knowing the truth and on re- They also implanted the teeth of Phushna in quest they join the head of elephant to the his edentulous mouth. This knowledge of Ganesha. This is oldest example of trans- Ayurveda descends to the earth by Ashwini plantation which is well known to us since kumaras. Sushruta, people of Lord Dhan- childhood as told by our mothers and vantari, has written Sandhan Karma (Plastic grandmother in stories. Bispala, wife of king Surgery) in Sutra sthana 16th chapter. He Khela, lost her leg in war. Ashwini kumaras elaborated Rhinoplasty for deformed nose, transplant her leg by an iron leg 1. The lost plastic surgery operation for deformed and part of body of Rishi Atri was re-joined by cut ear lobules, corrective surgical procedure Ashwini kumaras. The body of Acharya for cleft lip, injured lips and cleft palate. In Shyaba was cut into three parts. Ashwini the starting of 16th chapter, Acharya Su- kumars rejoin the all parts and give him life shruta first describe the method of piercing immediately 2. Beside the Rigved, Padampu- of ear lobule in infants for the purpose of ran also have written examples of recon- decoration and giving protection from the structive plastic surgery 3. Bhairav cut the graham badha.6 This method is also used in head of Brhama and Dadhichi. Ashwini ku- children in present era. Often these ear lo- maras rejoined their head. They also trans- bules, due to the use of heavy ornaments, get plant the head of Yahnya. Dadhyancha was considerably expanded and ultimately split. the master of Madhu Vidya. Ashwini kuma- Sushruta has described fifteen methods of

83 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 2; Issue 1; Jan – Feb 2014 Ahuja Deepak & Mishra Vandana: Plastic and reconstructive surgery in Ayurved joining these separated ear lobules.7If a per- 2. Utpala bhedyaka: Utpala bhedyaka type son without ear lobule come to a surgeon, of Otoplasty is indicated when cut ear lobule then surgeon should reconstruct the ear lo- is equal in size and shape and both are large bule by taking a flap of skin from the cheek around. region; with a pedicle attached to the donor 3. Vallooraka: When cut fragment of ear side. 8The aim of keeping the skin flap at- lobules are small, round, equal in shape and tached to the donor site with a pedicle to size, Valloorka type of Otoplasty should be maintain the sufficient supply. By done. doing such process, three purpose will be 4. Aasangima: Aasangima type of Otoplasty solved. First there occur no complication, is indicated when proximal part of cut ear secondly the organ will vitalize with sensa- lobule is larger. tion and third, healing will be very soon. 5. Gandakarna: Simillarly when distal part Same techniques with same manner are used of cut ear lobule is larger; this type of in the present time. Otoplasty should be done. Techniques for Sandhana Karma of Ear 6. Aaharya: This type of Otoplasty is suita- lobes-Otoplasty ble when both the fragment of cut ear lo- There are fifteen operative methods to rejoin bules are absent. injured ear lobule-9 7. Nirvedhima: Nirvedhima type of Otop- Nemi Sandhank lasty is indicated when both the fragment of Utpala bhedyaka cut ear lobules are absent from the root. In Vallooraka this type remaining part of Putrika (Tragus) Aasangima is making base for surgery. Gandakarna 8. Vyayojima: Vyayojima type of Otoplasty Aaharya is indicated when one part of cut fragment is Nirvedhima larger than other i.e. both are dissimilar. Vyayojima 9. Kapata Sandhika : This type of Otoplasty Kapata Sandhika is suitable when one fragment of cut ear lo- Ardha Kappata Sandhika bule is longer from proximal side and Sankhshipta second part is smaller. Heen Karna 10. Ardha Kappata Sandhika : Simillarly Valli Karna Ardha Kappata Sandhika type of Otoplasty Kakaushthka is indicated when outer fragment of cut ear Yasti Karna lobules is larger in dimensions Among them 10 techniques are successful, Sandhana Karma of Nose (Reconstructive last 5 methods are unsuccessful. Rhinoplasty) Indications for different methods of After explaining the Otoplasty, Su- Karna Sandhana10 (Otoplasty)- shruta elaborate the reconstructive Rhinop- 1. Nemi Sandhanka: This type of Otoplsty lasty in same chapter. He given indication should be done when the both fragments of for nose either lost by disease or by ear lobules are heavy and large in surface trauma/accident. The portion of the nose to and also both are equal in shape and size. be covered should be first measured with a

84 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 2; Issue 1; Jan – Feb 2014 Ahuja Deepak & Mishra Vandana: Plastic and reconstructive surgery in Ayurved leaf. Then a piece of skin of the required surgery like planning, procedure and perfec- size should be dissected from the living skin tion has its roots in Sushruta Samhita. So it of the forehead or cheek, and turned back to can be concluded that the source of plastic cover the nose, keeping a small pedicle at- surgery is Sushruta Samhita, the great In- tached to the cheek. dian Ayurvedic surgical literature, from here The part of the nose to which the it spread worldwide. skin is to be attached should be made raw by REFERENCES cutting the nasal stump with a knife. The 1. Rig Veda 1-116.95 physician then should place the skin on the 2. Rig Veda 1-117.14 nose and stitch the two parts swiftly, keep- 3. Padma Purana 2-66/212-215 ing the skin properly elevated by inserting 4. Rig Veda 1-116.13/9-117.17 two tubes of Eranda (the castor-oil plant) in 5. Rig Veda 1-158,4-6 the position of the nostrils, so that the new 6. Sushruta Samhita , Sutra Sthana 16/3 , nose gets proper shape. Kaviraj Ambika dutt Shastri (Hindi transla- After this a powder of Pterocampus tion), vol.1, Published by Chahkhambha santalenus (Lal Chandan), Glycerrhiza gla- Sanskrit Sansthan Varanasi. bra (Mulethi) and Rasot (extract of Barberis 7. Ibidem 16/3 aristata) should be sprinkled over the oper- 8. Ibidem 16/9 ated area. Then the operated part should be 9. Ibidem16/10 covered with cotton pad or gauze pieces and 10. Ibidem 16/11 irrigated with sesame oil frequently11. 11. Ibidem 16/49-53 Ostha Sandhana Karma (Reconstructive 12. Ibidem 16/54 Surgery of Cleft Palate) CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Injured lip or congenital cleft palate is also Dr. Deepak Kumar Ahuja reconstructed by same method as discussed Dept. of Shalakya Tantra above for Rhinoplasty in same chapter. The S.R.M. State Ayurvedic College only difference is that in lip surgery there is Bareilly-243001 Uttar Pradesh, India no use of stem of Ricinus communis Email: [email protected] (Eranda naala). The Vaidya who get skilled in these reconstructive surgery, become Raj- Source of support: Nil vaidya i.e. who can treat the king12. Conflict of interest: None Declared CONCLUSION It is very difficult to say that when exactly the first plastic operation was done on man. Aacharya Sushruta has described various reconstructive methods and different types of procedures like taking a flap of skin from the cheek region, with a pedicle at- tached to the donor side. If we observe carefully, then it is found that, all the basic principles of plastic

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