When the section of your intestine bulges through the gap in your abdominal muscles around your bellybutton, it's called an umbilical hernia. Although umbilical hernias are most frequent in infants, they can also affect adults.
The causes of umbilical hernia vary according to age.
Causes in infants
As the foetus develops in the womb, a little gap in the abdominal muscles allows the umbilical cord to pass through.
The gap should close around the time of birth, or soon afterward. If this does not happen completely, fatty tissue or a portion of the intestine may protrude, causing an umbilical hernia.
Causes in adults
Some fatty tissue or a segment of the colon can pop through a weak section of the abdominal muscle if there is too much strain on the abdominal wall.
High-risk individuals are more likely to have higher-than-normal pressure in regions where fatty tissue or sections of the intestines can protrude.
A bulge in the navel indicates an umbilical hernia. When the baby is laughing, crying, or coughing, it may become more visible. The lump may decrease or disappear altogether when the baby is resting down or calm.
Regardless of the size of the hernia, if the abdominal wall constricts around it, blood flow to the protrusion is cut off, resulting in agony. The discomfort might be minimal to severe. The signs and symptoms of an umbilical hernia differ from case to case. Few of them are:
Most umbilical hernia in babies heal within two years. However, if the hernia is more than 1.5 cm across in children over the age of 2 years and the intestines are trapped within the hernial sac, restricting or limiting intestinal movement, a doctor may propose surgery.
Surgery Umbilical hernia surgery is a quick procedure that takes about 20–30 minutes to complete. An incision is made at the base of the bellybutton, and the projecting tissue is pushed back into the abdomen. Depending on the situation, surgeons may do open or laparoscopic surgery.
In many circumstances, the surgeon will subsequently seal the opening by stitching the abdominal wall muscles together. They may use specific meshes to fortify the area and prevent a recurrence in some cases.