TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY ASPECTS OF BHAGANDARA (FISTULA-IN-ANO) – A LITERATURE CRITIQUE

According to western medical science, Bhagandara is a suppurative condition that typically affects the Bhaga (ano rectal, pelvirectal, or perianal region) and is correlated with "Fistula-in ano." It is a well-known and prevalent condition that affects the ano-rectal area. The father of surgery, Acharya Sushruta, classified Bhagandara under Dushtavrana and listed this illness as one of the Ashtamahagadas. The primary cause, or nidana, of Bhagandara is infectious in nature, primarily involving an infection from a hair follicle and an infected and inflamed Morgagni crypt. It initially appears around Guda as Pidika, and when it erupts, it is referred to as Bhagandara. The disease's recurrent nature makes treatment increasingly challenging. It causes problems in day-to-day living. It results in pain and discomfort that interferes with daily activities. The pathophysiology, investigation techniques, and available treatments for fistula in ano in Ayurveda and Western medicine are discussed in this review article.