Puttur kattu (bandage) - A traditional bone setting practice in south India

Abstract

Traditional bone setting practices are quite popular in India and nearly 6000 traditional bone setting Vaidyas (Practisioners) are practicing the same in our country. Puttur kattu is a traditional way of bone setting practice, invented accidentally by K. Kesava Raju in 1881. Now, the fourth generation of his family is practicing this bone setting practice in hospitals at Puttur, Andhra Pradesh, with 200-300 patients per day. A prospective study was undertaken to analyze the techniques in diagnosis, way of management, medicine preparation, plants used and way of applications by traditional bone setter (TBS) Vaidyas, with special reference to Puttur. We also tried to understand the reasons which make lots of people go to Puttur for getting treatment, means of contact for treatment, pathology of fracture and outcome of some treated cases through this study. 54% of the studied patients came to Puttur TBS on the advice of old patients. It is observed that more educated people are patronizing this therapy and 23% patients of the observed cases took discharge from modern hospital voluntarily to receive Puttur kattu treatment. 80% patients believed that this therapy with home remedy would fasten the healing process. 44% patients opted for this therapy due to fear of pain, heavy plaster of Paris bandage, prolonged period of immobilization, surgery and amputation. 71% patients of the followed cases were satisfied with the treatment of TBS of Puttur with minimum complications. The authors also attempted to put forth the legacy of the tradition, the way of management and the plant used for bone setting by the Puttur bone setting Vaidyas.

Complications of Fracture Treatment by Traditional Bonesetters in West Java, Indonesia

“…10,12,13 Splinting performed by the TBS, using bamboo or palm branches is often too tight, so it can cause gangrene. 10,14 In this study, 2 patients had gangrene. Gangrene is the most severe complication and can lead to death.…”

Traditional Bone Setting Practice of Rabha People of Assam

“…It has some similarities with "Puttur kattu," a TBS practice in South India in Panda and Rout [7]. The paste of Cassia occidentalis plant is widely used for the bandage in "Puttur kattu" practice [7]. As suggested by Dada et al, 2011 [29], it is an effective and useful practice; where our study also demands that the practice should be improved by some more skillful modern trainings, peer observation, and attention.…”

“…This work discloses and focuses on TBS practice of Rabha community of Assam which is an ancient health practice. It has some similarities with "Puttur kattu," a TBS practice in South India in Panda and Rout [7]. The paste of Cassia occidentalis plant is widely used for the bandage in "Puttur kattu" practice [7].…”

“…Therefore, this is considered one of the noteworthy traditional practices of India. This has been practiced widely in different parts of India such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, and West Bengal [7][8][9].…”

Care Seeking Behaviour of Older Adults with Hip Fracture in India: A Qualitative Study

“…Past experiences of successful fracture treatment in younger age groups in the community is a major contributor to Traditional bonesetters' popularity. As relatively few hip fractures are treated by traditional bonesetters, death and complication from immobilizing hip fractures in older adults may be infrequently experienced in the traditional care setting [28,29]. There is no published report on outcomes of hip fractures treated by Traditional bonesetters for comparison with surgical care.…”