History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c21.s2: Surgical Armamentarium of Susruta
History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c21.s2
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Surgical Armamentarium of Susruta
v1.c21.s2.1
Status of surgery of any period can be best evaluated by variety and quality of the surgeon’s armamentarium. Suśruta has mentioned 101 blunt and 20 sharp instruments which could be the precursors of modern surgical instruments. Virtually, number of them have similar names such as *singhmukha yantra* (lion forcep), *mudrika sastra* (finger knife), etc. Varieties of needles (straight, curved or round body, blunt and cutting), suture materials, splints and fracture bed for immobilization of fractures at various sites, fourteen different types of bandages and parasurgical measures, i.e. cautery, etc. for checking the bleeding are further examples.
v1.c21.s2.2
Moreover, Suśruta has further mentioned the specific use of some instruments needed for the specific surgical manoeuver, such as endoscopy to visualise the haemorrhoids and fistula-in-ano and *mudrikā śāstra* (finger knife) for conducting blind surgical procedures in the case of retropharyngeal abscess or removal of the dead foetus through vagina.