Umbilical Hernia

Umbilical Hernia

What is an umbilical hernia?

Unlike about hernias, which develop in adolescence or adulthood, twenty per centum of babies are born with umbilical hernias. An umbilical hernia occurs at the umbilicus (belly button) when a loop of intestine pushes through the umbilical ring, a small opening in a fetus' abdominal muscles through which the umbilical cord—which connects a fetus to its female parent while in the womb—passes. Umbilical hernias occur virtually often in newborns, and 90 per centum will naturally shut past the fourth dimension the kid reaches five years of age.

Umbilical Hernia Causes

After nativity, the umbilical cord is no longer necessary, and the opening in the intestinal muscles closes as the baby matures. Sometimes, these muscles do not run into completely, leaving a small hole or gap. A loop of intestine tin can motility into and even penetrate the opening between abdominal muscles and crusade a hernia.
Umbilical hernias occur nigh oftentimes in infants only tin as well occur in adults. The almost mutual causes of umbilical hernias in adults are:

  • Chronic wellness conditions that raise abdominal pressure, including:

    • Carrying excessive belly fluid (ascites)

    • Chronic cough

    • Difficulty urinating due to an enlarged prostate

    • Prolonged constipation

    • Repetitive airsickness

  • Obesity

  • Straining such as during child nascence or weight lifting

Umbilical Hernia Diagnosis

Hernias are commonly diagnosed during a concrete exam by a health care provider. The provider volition look and feel for a bulge or swelling in the abdomen button area. The swelling may be more noticeable when a babe cries and may go smaller or go away when a babe relaxes or rests on its back. During the examination, the provider volition make up one's mind if the hernia is reducible—if it can exist pushed back into the abdominal cavity.

The provider will as well look for and complete a medical history to determine if the umbilical hernia has become incarcerated (trapped within the abdominal opening), a serious medical condition in which the protruding intestine becomes trapped and deprived of blood supply. The intestine can rapidly become necrotic if not repaired, which requires surgical removal of the affected intestine. Symptoms of a strangulated umbilical hernia include:

  • Intestinal hurting and tenderness

  • Constipation

  • Fever

  • Full, round abdomen

  • Cherry-red, regal, dark or discolored bulge

  • Airsickness

The provider may social club blood tests to look for signs of infection resulting from the strangulated intestine. They may also order a barium 10-ray, ultrasound, MRI or CT to examine the intestine more closely, peculiarly if the hernia is no longer reducible.

Umbilical Hernia Treatments

Specific umbilical hernia treatment and timing volition exist determined by the surgeon based on multiple factors such as the kid'due south historic period, general health, medical history and whether the hernia is reducible or strangulated. By age 1, many umbilical hernias will take closed on their own without surgery. Almost all umbilical hernias will have closed without surgery by historic period five.

In general, if the hernia becomes bigger with historic period, is not reducible or is still nowadays after age 3, the kid'due south provider may suggest that the hernia be repaired surgically. If the hernia is strangulated and cannot gently be pushed or massaged back into its proper place within the abdomen, the surgeon will generally recommend immediate surgery.

Under full general anesthesia, a small incision is made in the umbilicus (belly button). The loop of intestine is placed back into the abdominal crenel, and the incision closed. Sometimes a slice of mesh material is used to help strengthen the area where the muscles are repaired.