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Umbilical hernia
What will happen if an umbilical hernia is not treated?
If umbilical hernia is not treated, in general, adults are more likely to experience incarceration or strangulation. For children with umbilical hernias, conservative observation is usually adopted, and surgery is not necessary within the first two years unless incarceration occurs. During the waiting period, adhesive tape fixation can be used as a treatment method. If the umbilical hernia is larger than two weeks, and the diameter of the umbilical ring is generally more than 1.5 cm, surgical treatment is required. For children over five years old, regardless of the situation, it is advisable to undergo timely surgery. Adults with umbilical hernias are generally advised to have surgery as soon as possible. The surgical methods typically include traditional tissue repair or open tension-free hernia repair. For patients suitable for laparoscopic treatment, laparoscopic surgery is chosen as it causes less trauma and allows for the preservation of the umbilicus without extensive dissection, no need for drainage placement, and a very low chance of wound infection.
Will an infant's umbilical hernia heal by itself?
Infant umbilical hernia is a congenital disease, caused by a weak abdominal wall around the navel, leading to a protrusion at the navel. However, over 80% of infant umbilical hernias will, before the age of two, gradually heal as the hernial ring narrows and closes due to growth in age and physical development, achieving self-healing. Only a small portion require surgery. If an infant still has a noticeable umbilical hernia at the age of two, or if the hernial ring diameter is greater than 2 cm, then surgery is necessary.
The difference between umbilical hernia and umbilical sinus.
The main difference between umbilical hernia and umbilical sinus is that an umbilical hernia is primarily due to the weakness of the tissues around the navel. When the intra-abdominal pressure of a patient increases, it can easily cause intestinal contents to protrude through the weak umbilical ring. On the other hand, an umbilical sinus generally refers to certain secretions that form around the navel after the scab falls off post-birth in newborns, which sometimes can easily lead to infections. This condition is not caused by weakness of the navel but is likely related to localized infections after the umbilical cord is cut. Therefore, the mechanisms of these two conditions are different. Generally, an umbilical hernia requires surgical treatment, while an umbilical sinus can be completely healed by controlling the infection, and it does not pose significant harm.
Does pressing on an umbilical hernia hurt?
Umbilical hernias often occur because there is a weak spot near the navel and a defect in the abdominal wall, allowing abdominal contents to protrude through this weak spot and form a lump on the surface. If the hernia is not strangulated, the contents can be reduced when the patient lies flat, causing no obvious symptoms. However, if the protruding contents cannot be reduced, there may be strangulation or the hernial ring may be too small. Pressing on the protruding lump at this time may cause pain. This pain generally becomes more pronounced the longer the protrusion persists. Of course, if the hernia is completely strangulated, causing circulatory problems, the pain may significantly decrease, but this does not indicate an improvement in condition. Therefore, if an umbilical hernia becomes painful upon pressing, surgical treatment should be considered to avoid complications.
Why does the baby's umbilical hernia make a sound when pressed?
When pressing on a baby's umbilical hernia, a sound may be heard, primarily because the contents of the hernia are the intestines, most commonly the small intestine. Digestive fluids and gases are present in the intestines, so when pressed, the movement of gas through the digestive fluid can easily produce a sound, which is normal. The occurrence of an umbilical hernia in babies is mainly due to the incomplete development of the abdominal wall muscles and the umbilical ring not being fully closed. This allows internal organs like the intestines and mesentery to protrude through the umbilical ring, leading to symptoms of an umbilical hernia. After the appearance of an umbilical hernia, most children's hernias close on their own within the first year, with only a minority requiring surgical treatment.
Does infant umbilical hernia need treatment?
Infant umbilical hernia is caused by poor congenital development of the navel, resulting in protrusion of the umbilicus. Usually, as the child ages, the hernial ring gradually narrows and closes, and 80% of such cases can close on their own. However, there are a few cases, such as those where the hernial ring diameter is too large, especially more than 2cm, or those that do not close by the age of two, which require surgical treatment. During this period, it is usually necessary to avoid situations that may cause increased abdominal pressure in the child, leading to protrusion of the navel, such as preventing the child from crying intensely. For instance, if the child exhibits gastrointestinal symptoms, they should be taken to the doctor for timely examination and treatment.
Can an umbilical hernia be pressed with hands?
Umbilical hernia can be manually reduced by pushing it back into place. For children, most can be reduced by manual manipulation. For adults, it may be relatively more difficult, but generally, if incarceration has not occurred, manual reduction can be successful. In the treatment of umbilical hernia, conservative observation can be considered for children under two years old. The method of using adhesive tape may be employed since the self-healing can occur through their natural development before the age of two with appropriate conservative treatment. If the diameter of the umbilical ring still exceeds 1.5 cm after two years old, surgical intervention should be considered timely. For adults, umbilical hernias are generally treated through surgical means. Adult umbilical hernias are prone to incarceration and strangulation, particularly because the umbilical ring is usually smaller and a sudden increase in abdominal pressure can lead to incarceration. The treatment choices for adult umbilical hernia include tissue repair suturing or tension-free hernia repair, with laparoscopy also being a viable treatment option.
Can you take a bath with an umbilical hernia?
Umbilical hernia is primarily due to the weak abdominal wall at the navel, allowing abdominal contents to pass through and protrude at the surface, forming a lump. In children under two years old, if the umbilical hernia does not cause incarceration or significant redness and swelling on the skin's surface, bathing is generally not affected. In adults, umbilical hernias usually do not heal on their own and often require surgical treatment, otherwise, the hernia tends to enlarge. As long as the umbilical hernia does not cause significant incarceration requiring emergency surgery, or local inflammatory skin reactions, it does not affect the patient's ability to bathe. Even if surgery is necessary for an umbilical hernia, it is considered an elective procedure.
How to treat umbilical hernia with conservative treatment?
Umbilical hernia in children is a common condition involving the navel area, caused by incomplete development there, allowing intestinal contents to protrude through this weak spot, thus forming an umbilical hernia. The vast majority of umbilical hernias can heal on their own, so conservative treatment is possible, meaning it is okay to just watch and wait. Most children's weak spots in the navel will heal by the age of two, and the hernia will resolve itself. Only a very small number of cases, where the hernia is particularly large or has not healed by the age of two, require surgical treatment. Parents must be clear about this. Therefore, there is no need for special treatment, just observation. It's only necessary to avoid letting the child cry loudly, which can increase abdominal pressure.
Does an infant umbilical hernia require surgery?
Umbilical hernias in infants do not always require surgery; only a small portion necessitates it. Surgery is needed mainly if the child is over two years old and still has a noticeable umbilical hernia, or if the hernia's ring diameter exceeds 2 cm. In these cases, the chances of natural healing are slim, and surgical intervention to remove the hernia sac and repair the abdominal wall defect may be necessary. In other cases, 80% of umbilical hernias can heal by the age of two as the abdominal muscles strengthen and develop with age, often causing the hernia ring to narrow and close on its own, achieving healing without any additional treatment. The previously used method of compressing the hernia with a hernia belt has been proven ineffective and is no longer employed.