Ayurvedic Surgeons Need to Leverage new Technologies: Experts at GAF

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Even as the classic Ayurvedic texts have threadbare descriptions relating to the theory and practice of surgical procedures, the modern practitioners need to leverage cutting edge technologies and facilities to mainstream Ayurvedic surgery, observed experts participating a session at Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF) here today.

Making presentations on “New Practices in Ayurveda Surgery” on the second day of GAF, the panellists, drawn from leading Ayurvedic institutions across the country, also emphasised on creating a data base of case studies by major institutions, which will strengthen the research and development in this vital sector.

There is an entire branch of Ayurveda called Shalya Tantra, which deals with surgical practices. The ancient Ayurveda texts not only had deal in minute details with various types of surgical procedures but also have descriptions of instruments, tools and apparatuses, the speakers noted.

“Surgery is surgery, then and now. Only technology and facilities have changed. But it is vitally important to innovate and adopt,” said Dr P Hemantha Kumar, Professor and Head Shalya Tantra & Dean P G Studies, NIA, Jaipur.

Making a presentation on “Current Surgical Practices in Ayurveda in Kerala”, Dr C Raghunathan Nair, Prof & Head, Department of Shalya Tantra, Sree Narayana Institute of Ayurveda Studies and Research, Kollam, said various methods of surgical procedures to address proctological problems are available in Ayurveda and have proved their efficacy.

Dr Shiv Ji Gupta, Professor Department of Shalya Tantra, Department of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, noted Sushruta Samhita is one of the oldest treatises dealing with surgery in the world. Sushruta was also perhaps the first surgeon to describe different types of surgical instruments including endoscopes, he said.

Dr C Sureshkumar, Managing Partner and Chief Physician, Triveni Nursing Home, Thiruvananthapuram, made a detailed presentation on various methods in attending orthopaedic problems.

Dr T Sreekumar, Principal, PNNM Ayurveda College, set the context for presentations by presiding over the session.