Sushruta-samhita

treatise by Suśruta

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July 14, 2026

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The Sushruta-samhita is an ancient Indian treatise on surgery attributed to the surgeon Sushruta, who lived around the 6th century BCE. This text is a primary source for understanding surgical practices in ancient India.1

Sushruta's work, known as shalya tantra, encompassed a broad range of surgical procedures. These included rhinoplasty (nose repair), the removal of a dead fetus, and lithotomy (bladder stone removal). He also developed techniques for dissecting and studying the human body.1

Beyond surgery, the Sushruta-samhita also contains information on toxicology, pediatrics, and pharmacology, all within the framework of Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine.12

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Ayurveda
History of Ayurveda
…known as the Caraka-samhita and Susruta-samhita, attributed respectively to Caraka, a physician, and Susruta, a surgeon. Estimates place the Caraka-samhita in its present form as dating from the 1st century ce, although there were earlier versions. The Susruta-samhita probably originated in the last centuries bce and had become fixed in…
Read More
…known as the Caraka-samhita and Susruta-samhita, attributed respectively to Caraka, a physician, and Susruta, a surgeon. Estimates place the Caraka-samhita in its present form as dating from the 1st century ce, although there were earlier versions. The Susruta-samhita probably originated in the last centuries bce and had become fixed in…
Read More

history of medicine
India
as the Charaka-samhita and Sushruta-samhita, attributed respectively to Charaka, a physician, and Sushruta, a surgeon. Estimates place the Charaka-samhita in its present form as dating from the 1st century ce, although there were earlier versions. The Sushruta-samhita probably originated in the last centuries bce and had become fixed in…
Read More
as the Charaka-samhita and Sushruta-samhita, attributed respectively to Charaka, a physician, and Sushruta, a surgeon. Estimates place the Charaka-samhita in its present form as dating from the 1st century ce, although there were earlier versions. The Sushruta-samhita probably originated in the last centuries bce and had become fixed in…
Read More