Revisiting and recreating plastic surgery concepts of Acharya Sushruta through Torn Ear Lobulue Repair vis-à-vis Karnasandhana w.s.r. to Lobuloplasty - A Single Case Study

Abstract

Plastic surgery is one of the oldest forms of surgery which was expounded to the world by Ayurveda through Acharya Sushruta in his treatise Sushruta Samhita. Reconstructive plastic surgical procedures were performed in ancient India. The plastic surgery of ear (Otoplasty) and Nose (Rhinoplasty) are described in the Sushruta Sutrastana 16th chapter. First methods are described for piercing the ear lobes of an infant which is still a wide spread practice in India. Often these ear lobes; due to the use of heavy Ornaments; gets considerably expanded - split and tear as time passes. Sushruta has described 15 methods of joining these cup-up ear lobes through basic concepts of plastic surgery under the broad heading of Karnasandana. For correcting ear lobe tear, people demand good cosmetically appealing surgery which comes with minimal scar formation. All these types of Sandana Karma with due consideration to its finest details were explained in detail, represent the school of surgery of Acharya Sushruta, who made significant contribution to the principles and techniques of plastic surgery which are surprisingly applicable even in todays modern surgical era. It highlights the status and sophistication of ancient Indian surgery. Here, A brief review on a patient suffering from split ear lobules, was operated on the lines of Karnasandhana as described by Acharya Sushruta,which can be compared with Lobuloplasty, is detailed below.