Ksharasutra is a special Ayurvedic treatment, which was developed recently. There is however very little thoughts on kshara sutra as medicated threads in Sushruta Samhita and Bhavprakasha. The specific treatment is used to cure anal fistula and piles. There are also researches going on to develop similar treatments for almost all kinds of skin diseases.

Kshar literally means ash. In kshara sutra, a thread is coated with Ayurvedic herbs 14 to 21 times. Kshar or kshara means a substance with alkaline (basic) properties. Each coating has different medicines and ash (kshar) of Ayurvedic herbs. The threads thus prepared are tied to the pile mass and kshar is applied to the affected area. There is complete medication for all the tissues of the area. When there are excess fibrous tissues, the cutting rate can slow down. In normal cases, it will cut through unwanted tissues at 1 cm (one cm) per week.

There are several advantages for ksharsutra over surgical procedures. The first among them is the little time required for hospitalization. There are no bleeding or painful dressings after the therapy. One can go back to his/her daily activities in as little as six hours after the process. However this is not a one-time process, but continues over a week, up to three. The length of the treatment depends on the extent of affected area. One can tell the number of sittings required after analyzing the state of the disease.

Another benefit is the very low recurring rate of 2%, which is minimal when compared to surgical procedure. The medicines coated in the thread heal the tissue completely. There will also be no big scars left after the procedure.