Shalyachikitsa

Shalyachikitsa, also known as Shalya Tantra, is the surgical branch of Ayurveda. It concerns the operative management of diseases and injuries and encompasses a range of techniques from wound care and debridement to fracture reduction and tumor excision. The tradition emphasizes not only the procedure itself but also preoperative assessment, aseptic technique, anesthesia, hemostasis, postoperative care, and rehabilitation.

Techniques and procedures typically described in Shalyachikitsa include incisions, excisions, ligations, suturing, draining abscesses, removing foreign bodies, treating burns, and managing ulcers, fistulas, and tumors. It covers reduction and fixation of fractures and dislocations, amputation when necessary, and reconstructive procedures guided by anatomical knowledge and skilled manipulation. The use of surgical instruments (shastra), methods of cauterization (agni karma), and associated adjuvant therapies are described within classical texts.

Historical basis and authority: The core knowledge of Shalyachikitsa comes from ancient Sanskrit medical works, most notably the Sushruta Samhita, which catalogs numerous surgical procedures, instruments, operative steps, and case management. Other classical authorities discuss surgical ethics and postoperative care as part of the discipline.

Relation to modern medicine: Shalyachikitsa is recognized as Ayurveda’s surgical tradition and informs traditional wound care, trauma management, and certain reconstructive concepts within Ayurvedic practice. In contemporary contexts, its principles are studied alongside modern surgery and may be integrated within complementary approaches.

Terminology: It is sometimes referred to as Shalya Shastra or Shalya Tantra and is distinct from Shalakya Tantra, which covers ophthalmology, ENT, and dentistry.