A Morphological Study of Sushrutokta Vedhya Sira in the Upper Limb

Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine that is more than 5000 years old. Sushruta, who is known as the Father of Surgery, described many surgical procedures as well as para-surgical treatments. Raktamokshana (bloodletting) is one of the main Shodhana (purification) therapies in Ayurveda. Acharya Sushruta explained that if the five purification therapies (Panchakarma) cannot be done due to lack of time, Raktamokshana alone can give similar benefits. He also stated that Siravyadha (venesection) is the most important method of Raktamokshana and considered it as Ardha Chikitsa (half of the total treatment). However, Siravyadha is rarely practiced today in Ayurveda. This may be due to a lack of proper knowledge about basic anatomical concepts described in Sharira, such as Vedhya and Avedhya Sira (veins that should and should not be punctured), the exact sites for Shastra Patana (incision), and the important structures that must be protected during the procedure. Siravyadha should be performed at specific sites according to different diseases. In Sharira Sthana, Acharya Sushruta mentioned particular sites for Siravyadha in various diseases. It raises the question why different sites are recommended for different conditions instead of using a common site for all diseases. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify and locate the veins used for Siravyadha based on available classical literature. The study focuses only on the upper limbs.