Purpose: To establish the relevance of Asta Vidha Shastra Karma in the management of surgical emergency conditions in the present era. Method: In this study different surgical emergency conditions described in Sushruta Samhita are reviewed along with their modern counterpart and the surgical techniques applicable to manage those surgical emergencies are studied from Sushruta samhita and texts of modern surgery. Discussion: The concept of Ashta Vidha Shastra Karma is a unique contribution of Acharya Sushruta. These eight specific surgical techniques are considered as the basic surgical procedure useful in the management of all the diseases which require surgical intervention. These eight procedures are Chedana (Excision), Bhedana (Incision), Lekhana (Scrapping), Vyadhana (Puncturing), Visravana (Drainage), Eshana (Probbing), Aharana (Extraction) and Sivana (Suturing). As Sushruta Samhita is the main classical text book related to Shalya Tantra so the surgical disorders including the emergency conditions which require surgical management e.g. SadhyoVrana (Accidental wounds), Vidradhi (Abcess), Raktatipravritti (Acute haemorrhage), Chidrodara (Intestinal perforation), Baddhogudodara (Intestinal obstruction), Mutrashmari (Urinary calculi) etc. are also described in details in this Samhita. In the present time though modern surgery has developed a lot but the basic procedures used in major conditions remained same. So, the eight basic surgical procedures mentioned by Sushruta are equally applied even today with required modifications to manage the diseases which require surgery including surgical emergency conditions. Conclusion: So, it can be concluded that Asta Vidha Shastra karmas are equally applicable in the management of surgical emergency conditions even in the present era.
