An ayurvedic management of chronic nonhealing ulcer in buerger's disease w.s.r. to gambhīra vātarakta: A case study

Abstract

Buerger's disease is associated with ulcers in the extremities with the possibility of amputation. The prevalence of the disease among all patients with peripheral arterial disease ranged 5%–10%. Heavy cigarette smoking has been implicated the main etiology and only treatment that has been shown to be effective is complete abstention from smoking. In spite of this, the disease progresses in up to 30% of cases and finally results in limb amputation. Here, it is a case report of a 45-year-old male patient who came with complaints of severe pain and nonhealing arterial ulcer over the right great toe for 3 months with a diagnosis of Buerger's disease. The present case scenario is clinically correlated to gambhīra vātarakta, owing to the mārgāvaraṇa (obstruction) pathology and managed effectively with mañjiṣṭhādi kṣārabasti (Medicated enema), raktamokṣaṇa (bloodletting), and śamana auṣadhi (oral medications) which hoarded him from amputation.