Dr Geethu Balakrishnan

Background: While conventional medicine often mandates surgical intervention for various structural and inflammatory pathologies, a significant patient cohort seeks Ayurvedic alternatives due to personal preference, cost constraints or surgical contraindications. This study evaluates the long-term clinical outcomes of patients who opted for Ayurvedic management despite being formally advised to undergo surgery. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 8,012 case records from three Ayurvedic centres in Kerala, India, spanning a ten-year period (January 2006 to December 2015). A total of 1,174 patients met the inclusion criteria, having sought Ayurvedic care specifically to avoid recommended surgical procedures. Outcomes were categorized into five thematic domains: Surgery Totally Avoided, Improved Quality of Life (QoL) without Surgery, Deterioration due to Surgical Delay, resolved via Surgery and Lost to Follow-up. Results: The data revealed that 76.06% (n=893) of the study population successfully avoided surgery, while an additional 15.08% reported significantly improved day-to-day functioning without operative intervention. Clinical success was particularly notable in cases of intervertebral disc prolapse (IVDP) and acute appendicitis. Conversely, a small minority experienced a decline in health status attributed to the postponement of necessary surgical care. Conclusion: These findings suggest that Ayurvedic protocols can serve as a viable alternative to surgery for specific conditions, particularly where "preference-sensitive" decisions are involved. The high rate of surgery avoidance and improved functional outcomes underscore the need for an integrative healthcare model. Further prospective research is warranted to standardize these non-operative Ayurvedic pathways within mainstream surgical triaging.