Umbilical hernia: causes, symptoms, treatment and recovery

• Umbilical hernias manifest as protrusions or protrusions of an organ, usually the small intestine, due to a defect in the abdominal wall.
• The main cause of an umbilical hernia is a defect in the abdominal wall of the foetus during the mother's gestation period, although it can occur for other reasons.
• The only and definitive treatment to repair an umbilical hernia is surgery, called hernioplasty, which can be performed on the patient by laparoscopy or open surgery.

Umbilical hernias are hernias that occur at or around the umbilicus. When the abdominal wall is unable to resist an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, a kind of palpable and visually perceptible bulge appears, known as an umbilical hernia.

This type of hernia is very common in people with obesity, pregnant women or patients who have undergone abdominal surgery. It is also very common in newborn babies, although they usually close on their own within the first two years of life.

In children, umbilical hernias are usually asymptomatic, unlike umbilical hernias that arise in adulthood, which can cause abdominal discomfort.

If so, the recommended treatment for umbilical hernia repair is surgery. Depending on the technique used to perform the operation, the recovery period after the operation will be longer or shorter. However, it is a very safe surgery with a very high success rate.

Umbilical hernia occurs when the intestine protrudes through the opening in the abdominal muscles through which the umbilical cord passed at birth. This type of hernia is very common in babies, but can also develop in adulthood.

When a baby has an umbilical hernia, it is particularly obvious because when the baby cries, it puts pressure on the abdomen and causes the umbilicus to protrude.

However, this type of umbilical hernia usually closes after two years of life and can last until the fifth year of life. In this case, umbilical hernias do not usually present any symptoms. However, when the umbilical hernia develops in adulthood, it is often accompanied by abdominal discomfort.

Types of umbilical hernias

Umbilical hernias, depending on their origin or aetiology, can be of two types:

• Primary umbilical hernia: they arise at birth and the main reason for their appearance is a defect in the abdominal wall and in the umbilical cord, from the moment it begins its formation in the mother's womb.
• Incisional umbilical hernia: these are the consequence of previous surgical interventions. As a result, the sutures or surgical wounds are weakened and, with continuous strain on the abdominal area, the hernia finds a place to come out.

If you suffer from an umbilical hernia and would like a specialist to assess your case to determine whether surgery is necessary, click on the following image:

During pregnancy, the baby's umbilical cord passes through a small opening in the baby's abdominal muscles. Normally, this opening closes 2 - 5 years later, on its own.

Otherwise, if the muscles do not attach at the midline of the abdominal wall, an umbilical hernia can develop at birth or later.

In adults, abdominal pressure contributes to umbilical hernias. Thus, the most common causes of umbilical hernia development are:

• Multiple pregnancies
• Strenuous physical exercise.
• Lifting heavy objects.
• Previous abdominal surgery
• Chronic constipation and therefore straining to defecate.
• Chronic cough.
• Enlarged prostate, straining to urinate.

In general, all kinds of activities or health problems that increase pressure in the abdominal area may be likely to cause an umbilical hernia. On the other hand, umbilical hernias may be present from birth but do not become apparent until later in life.

Umbilical hernia and pregnancy

During pregnancy, the most common hernia that occurs in women is the umbilical hernia. Contrary to popular belief, umbilical hernia in pregnant women does not pose any risk or complication to the pregnancy or the foetus.

In pregnant women, umbilical hernias usually occur during the second week of pregnancy, due to the increase in size of the uterus, although they can also occur after giving birth, due to the great effort made.

Normally, hernias usually occur prior to pregnancy due to a defect in the abdominal wall, which in this case becomes evident due to the pressure exerted on the abdomen during pregnancy.

As for the surgical treatment of hernias in pregnant women, they should always be operated on after giving birth, as complications may arise if they are treated during pregnancy.

Umbilical hernias usually have no symptoms other than a bulge or lump in the navel. This bulge is soft to the touch and, if we put pressure on it, it pushes back into the abdomen, although it will come out again when we stop putting pressure on it.

In some cases, discomfort may be felt in the area of the hernia when the abdomen is strained, such as when coughing, sneezing, lifting, etc. When this pain manifests itself, the specialist normally recommends an abdominal binder, especially for pregnant women.

In general, when the patient is at rest, umbilical hernias do not cause discomfort.

Those types of hernias that are too bulky for the hernia outlet may become what is called "strangulated" by the outlet. When this occurs, it can impede proper blood circulation and can even lead to tissue ischaemia and necrosis.

Strangulated hernias should be reported immediately to a specialist for emergency surgery, as they are very dangerous for the proper functioning of the body.

How is an umbilical hernia diagnosed?

When the umbilical hernia reaches a considerable size, it is easy to diagnose by physical examination.

In cases where abdominal hernias are smaller, the specialist can perform diagnostic tests such as an abdominal X-ray and/or ultrasound for an accurate diagnosis.

To alleviate the pain caused by umbilical hernia, the doctor may prescribe certain medications to reduce the discomfort caused by the hernia. In any case, it is up to the doctor to determine whether you can take them and, if so, which ones and how often you should take them.

However, the only treatment for umbilical hernia is surgery, known as hernioplasty. In this procedure, a surgical mesh made of synthetic material is placed in order to correct the hernia defect.

Hernioplasty can be performed in two different ways:

• Open surgery
  • An incision (cut in the abdomen) is made above or below the navel until the hernia defect is reached.
  • Once there, the surgeon will reposition it inside the abdomen, pushing it inwards.
  • The specialist will then place a surgical mesh to prevent the umbilical hernia from recurring.
  • After placing the mesh, the incision is closed with stitches.

• Laparoscopic surgery
  • 3 or 4 mini-incisions are also made in the abdominal area.
  • A laparoscope is inserted through one of them and through the other incisions the rest of the tools needed to repair the abdominal hernia.
  • Next, he places the surgical mesh
  • Finally, the incisions are sutured and the area is covered with bandages.

Umbilical hernia surgery lasts approximately 30 - 40 minutes.

This procedure is usually uncomplicated. Moreover, the main advantage of undergoing this procedure is the improvement of the patient's quality of life and the complete elimination of symptoms.

Surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, so you can leave the hospital and return home the same day of the operation, on your own feet. In some cases, admission may be extended by 24 hours, in order to ensure that everything has gone correctly, so you will be under medical supervision.

Full recovery from hernioplasty does not usually last more than 4 weeks.

After this time, you will be able to return to your daily activities as you did before the operation, although always under the doctor's prescription and criteria.

If you would like to know more about umbilical hernia surgery, we invite you to continue to learn more about it by clicking on the links. 

If you are interested in the intervention, Operarme offers you a free surgical assessment consultation so that the Specialist can determine whether your case requires surgery.

You can contact us by filling in the contact form, by calling at +34 91 141 33 56 or by clicking on the following image: