AYURVEDIC SURGERY FROM SUSHRUTA TO THE MODERN ERA: TRADITIONAL FOUNDATIONS AND EMERGING PERSPECTIVES IN INTEGRATIVE SURGICAL CARE

Abstract

Ayurvedic surgery, designated Shalya Tantra constitutes one of the eight classical limbs of Ayurveda and represents one of antiquity's most systematised surgical traditions. The Sushruta Samhita, compiled by Acharya Sushruta circa 600 BCE, documents over 300 operative procedures, 121 surgical instruments, and pioneering techniques in rhinoplasty, wound management, cataract couching, and fracture care. This review traces the historical evolution of Ayurvedic surgical practice from Vedic roots through medieval consolidation, colonial-era suppression, post-independence revival, and the contemporary phase of evidence based integration with modern allopathic surgery. A landmark regulatory milestone the 2020 Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM, now NCISM) gazette notification formally authorises MS (Ayurveda) graduates in Shalya Tantra and Shalakya Tantra to perform 39 general surgical and 19 ENT/ophthalmology/oro-dental procedures independently after structured training. The review synthesises classical foundations, surgical instrumentation, parasurgical techniques, wound classification systems, regulatory frameworks, clinical evidence, ethical dimensions, and future directions, advocating rigorous evidence-driven integration to deliver patient-centred, cost-effective, and culturally sensitive surgical care.