In case of extended suppuration, the part opened (length of incision) should be made to measure two or three finger's widths in length.

Patient, should insert the knife into the affected part along the proper direction till the suppurated part would be reached and swiftly draw it out. Then the surgeon, sitting with his face towards the west, and carefully avoiding the vital parts (Marmas), Veins, nerves (Snayus), joints, bones and arteries of the His limbs should be carefully fastened (so as to guard against their least movement during the continuance of the operation). The patient should be given light food (before the act), and made to sit with his face turned towards the east. Then under the auspices of blissful astral combinations, etc., and having propitiated the Brahmanas and the physicians, with gifts of curd, sun-dried rice, cordials and gems, etc., and having made offerings to the gods and uttered benediction, etc., the surgeon should commence his work.

Surgeon (Vaidya) called upon to perform any (of the eight preceding kinds) of operations, must first equip himself with such accessories as surgical appliances and instruments, alkali, fire, probe or director (Shalaka), horns, leeches, gourd (Alavu), Jamvavoushtha (a kind of pencil shaped rod made of slate with its top-end cut into the shape of a Jamboline fruit), cotton, lint, thread, leaves, tow (Patta), honey, clarified butter, lard, milk, oil, Tarpanam (powdered wheat soaked in water), decoctions Kashaya, medicated plasters, paste (Kalka), fan, cold water, hot water, and cauldrons, etc., and moreover he shall secure the services of devoted and strong-nerved attendants. Surgical acts or operations are divided into eight different kinds such as Incising (Chhedya), Excising (Bhedya), Scraping (Lekhya), Puncturing (Vedhya), Searching or probing (Eshya), Extracting (Abarya), Secreting fluids (Visravya) and Suturing (Seevya). As the present treatise principally treats of surgical acts or operations, we shall discourse on them and their accessories at the outset. These measures will be discussed under the head of each disease as we shall have occasion to deal with them.

The entire course of medical treatment in connection with a disease may be grouped under three subheads, as the Preliminary measures (Purva-karma) the Principal therapeutical or surgical appliances (Pradhana-karma) and the After-measures (Paschat-karma). Now we shall discuss the Chapter which treats of Preliminary measures in connection with the curative remedies of a disease.* ( Agropaharaniyam-adhyayam).

Sushruta samhita shloka