The Principles of Surgical Practice: Sushruta Samhita and its Importance to Present Day Surgery

The Sushruta Samhita is one of the oldest texts dedicated to surgery with various techniques and principles mentioned. It is most famous for describing the basis of modern Rhinoplasty and earned the author, Aacharya Sushruta, the title of ‘the Father of Plastic Surgery'. Whilst the text was written around 600 BC its relevance to the modern day is evident, with many basic principles established that are still used in practice today. In prehistoric times surgery was often a primitive and unscientific undertaking, and manuscripts like this were essential for the growth of surgery as a defined speciality alongside medicine. It's importance to the modern day and its impact on the surgical field is assessed in the article.