Abstract

A CRITICAL STUDY ON CHEDANA KARMA OF ASHTAVIDHA SHASTRA KARMA AND ITS RELEVANCE IN MODERN SURGICAL PRACTICE

Dr. Rashmi Bharti* and Dr. Sreevidya G.

Abstract

In Ayurveda, Shalya Tantra the ancient Indian science of surgery was systematically elaborated by Acharya Sushruta, often referred to as the Father of Surgery. He described Ashtavidha Shastra Karma (Eight types of surgical procedures), which form the foundation of surgical principles in Ayurveda. Among these, Chedana Karma holds a prime position, representing the art and science of excision or incision. Chedana Karma is the surgical procedure of cutting or excising diseased tissue.The procedure emphasizes careful preoperative preparation, aseptic precautions, precise incision, and systematic wound management principles that parallel contemporary surgical standards. The instruments detailed by Sushruta, such as Vriddhipatra and Karapatra, resemble modern scalpels and surgical saws, highlighting the scientific understanding of early Ayurvedic surgery. Chedana and excision are synonymous. Features mentioned by Sushruta bear importance as they cover all the surgical diseases indicated for excision. Conditions of Apaka, Kathinya, Sthirata and Kotha explain all the possible indications for excision in any disease. The ancient methods of incision, asepsis, and wound management show remarkable similarity with present-day surgical principles. The principles of Chedana Karma are studied thoroughly and comparison is done with the principles of excision by reviewing the literatures in Ayurveda as well as modern textbooks of surgery.

Keywords: Chedana karma, Ashtavidhshastra karma, excision.