AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF ABHIGATAJADUSHTAVRANA (POST-TRAUMATIC CHRONIC NON-HEALING WOUND) THROUGH DASHAMOOLA KWATHA PRAKSHALANA AND TILA KALKA LEPA : A CASE REPORT

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic non-healing wounds following trauma pose a significant clinical challenge, often causing prolonged morbidity, delayed return to work, and risk of secondary infection, particularly in occupational settings with repeated mechanical stress and contamination. Classical Ayurvedic surgical literature describes such wounds as Dushtavrana (vitiated, non-healing wound), distinguished from Shuddha Vrana (clean wound) by discoloration, slough, malodorous discharge, and arrested healing. Sushruta, in the Chikitsa Sthana of the Sushruta Samhita, describes an elaborate sixty-fold therapeutic protocol (Shashti Upakrama) for Vrana management, encompassing cleansing, debridement, and Ropana (healing-promoting) measures. This report documents application of two such modalities, Dashamoola Kwatha Prakshalana and Tila Kalka Lepa, in a case of post-traumatic Dushtavrana of the foot. Case Presentation: A 36-year-old male construction worker, free of diabetes and hypertension, presented with a one-month-old post-traumatic non-healing foot wound showing a slough-covered bed, irregular hyperpigmented margins, and scant serosanguinous discharge, consistent with Dushtavrana. He was managed with surgical debridement (Shodhana) followed by once-daily Dashamoola Kwatha Prakshalana and topical Tila Kalka Lepa for 14 days, with follow-up on Day 21. Serial examinations showed progressive reduction of slough, improved granulation quality, and advancing epithelialization, culminating in near-complete wound closure without adverse events. Conclusion: This case illustrates the practical application of classical Shodhana and Ropana principles in managing post-traumatic Dushtavrana, with a favourable clinical trajectory on sequential follow-up. The Shodhana–Ropana combination of Dashamoola Kwatha Prakshalana followed by Tila Kalka Lepa offered a safe, low-cost, practical option for occupational post-traumatic wounds, supporting its consideration as an adjunct in resource-limited wound-care settings.