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An umbilical hernia is a type of bulge that occurs when a section of your intestine or other abdominal cavity tissue sticks out through a weak spot in your abdominal muscles near the belly button (umbilicus).
Open umbilical hernia repair surgery is performed under general anesthesia where the patient remains fully asleep and doesn’t feel the pain. Your surgeon makes an incision near the hernia site. A single 2-3 cm long cut is made right below the belly button. The size of this incision depends on the hernia size and location.
Once the incision is made, the bulging tissue or hernia is pushed back into the abdomen, after which, either suture or mesh is used to close the muscle layers at the weak abdominal wall. The surgeon may choose either suture-only repair or open mesh repair depending on several conditions of the patient. A suture-only repair is often used for small defects, while an open mesh repair is often used for complex hernia repairs. An open mesh repair also reduces the risk of recurrence of the hernia.
Umbilical hernia repair surgery is a procedure to fix umbilical hernia conditions that commonly occur in children, and sometimes in adults. Umbilical hernias in children usually go away on their own. In adults, they are typically non-reducible that are more likely to need surgical repair. Dr. Madhu Prasad - a well-known and trusted general surgeon in Anchorage, AK and his team are experienced in treating umbilical hernias with successful outcomes.
In infants, an umbilical hernia develops after birth when the small opening in the abdominal muscles, which allows the umbilical cord to pass through a baby’s abdomen, doesn’t close right after the birth. This develops a weak spot near the belly button in the abdominal wall that makes the baby susceptible to an umbilical hernia. In adults, an umbilical hernia usually develops because of too much abdominal pressure. Here are several things that can contribute to this pressure:
Umbilical hernias in children should go away on their own by age 2 or 3. However, surgery may be recommended if an umbilical hernia is there by the fourth year or longer, or if it is showing symptoms like:
An umbilical hernia in adults usually does not heal on its own. It keeps growing larger over time and may require surgical repair.
Physical examination and ultrasound should be enough to diagnose an umbilical hernia. In some cases, CT scans are used to screen for complications.
Umbilical hernia repair can be performed as an open or laparoscopic surgery depending on the size of the hernia, the recovery time, and other factors.
Umbilical hernia repair is an outpatient surgery which means you can go home the same day of the operation. If you have other medical conditions, or if you show any health complications, such as nausea, vomiting, bleeding, or infection after surgery, you may stay longer.
Usually, you can return to work after 2-3 days of the surgery. However, you won’t be able to climb, lift a weight of over 8-10 pounds, and perform any other strenuous task for at least 4-6 weeks.
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At Far North Surgery, we are committed to providing quality care and shorter recovery time to our patients. Our team is well-qualified and experienced and uses only the advanced surgical equipment and procedures for umbilical hernia treatment. Call us at 907-276-3676 to get the best treatment option for umbilical hernias, or answers to any questions you may have. You can also fill out our 1-minute contact form here.
