Umbilical Hernia
An umbilical hernia occurs when part of the intestine protrudes through the opening in the child’s abdominal muscles. Which was passed through the umbilical cord before he was born. Umbilical hernia is common and usually harmless. It is very common among children. It can affect adults as well. And in the case of infants, An umbilical hernia may be palpable. Especially when the baby cries, Which causes the belly button to protrude. This is a common sign that a child has an umbilical hernia.
In children, an umbilical hernia often closes on its own within the first two years of a child’s life. However, in some cases it remains until the fifth year. If the umbilical hernia appears during puberty, it needs surgical intervention.
Symptoms
An umbilical hernia causes swelling in or near the navel. For children with an umbilical hernia, The swelling may only be visible when crying, coughing, or feeling stressed.
Usually an umbilical hernia is painless for children. An umbilical hernia that appears during adulthood may cause abdominal fluctuations.
The symptoms may be dangerous to an event of intestinal infarction, which are as follows
- Severe vomiting
- Intolerable pain in the hernia site or in the abdomen in general
- Flatulence
- Constipation of gases and stool
- Redness of the skin in the hernia
The reasons
During pregnancy, The umbilical cord passes through a small opening in the abdominal muscles of the fetus. The opening closes automatically soon after birth. If the muscles do not fully heal together in the center of the abdominal wall, An umbilical hernia may appear at birth or later throughout life.
And for adults, Severe abdominal pressure helps in the development of an umbilical hernia. Causes of increased pressure in the abdomen include the following:
- Obesity
- Multiple pregnancies
- Fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites)
- Previous abdominal surgery
- Long-term peritoneal dialysis to treat kidney failure
Complications
For children, Complications of an umbilical hernia are rare. Complications can occur when protruding abdominal tissue (such as the intestine) becomes imprinted and can no longer be pushed back into the abdominal cavity. This condition reduces blood flow to the trapped section of intestine and can lead to umbilical pain and tissue damage. In the event that blood flow to the section of the blocked intestine is interrupted (strangulated hernia), Tissue may die (gangrene). The infection may spread throughout the abdominal cavity. Causing a life-threatening condition.
Adults who have an umbilical hernia are more likely to have bowel entrapment or blockage. Usually, emergency surgery is needed to treat these complications.
The diagnosis
Umbilical hernia is diagnosed with a clinical examination. Sometimes imaging scans – such as an abdominal ultrasound or a CT scan – are used to look for complications.
Treatment:
Most infant umbilical hernias close on their own at the age of one or two years.
Usually, surgical solutions for umbilical hernias are:
- painful
- Which is a little larger in diameter (1-2 cm)
- Large ones that do not decrease in size within the first two years
- That does not disappear at the age of 4 years
- Which becomes trapped or blocking the intestine
As for adults:
This surgery is recommended to avoid potential complications. Especially if the umbilical hernia becomes larger or painful.
In one of two ways
During conventional surgery, a small incision is made at the base of the navel. The internal tissue, whether fat or intestine, is returned to the abdominal cavity, and the opening in the abdominal wall is closed. It usually uses a mesh to help straighten the abdominal wall.
Or laparoscopic surgery, which is considered the best and least invasive, and is done with small openings where the internal tissue is returned, and then a mesh is placed inside the peritoneal cavity to strengthen the abdominal wa
