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Have you recently noticed a bulge around the navel or belly button? The bulge can be a sign of umbilical hernia and it can affect your daily life to a great extent. It is important that you get proper treatment for an umbilical hernia as the condition won’t improve on its own. Learn in detail about the treatment and what it entails.
Have you recently noticed a bulge around the navel or belly button? The bulge can be a sign of umbilical hernia and it can ... Read More
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An umbilical hernia is a type of hernia that forms in the inner lining of the belly and pushes through the hole near the belly button. It often doesn’t cause any pain or discomfort in the earlier stage. But it doesn’t go away on its own as well. Thus, umbilical hernia repair is performed surgically. The purpose of the surgery is to push the protruding organ back in its original place and repair the hole safely with or without the help of reinforcement.
Umbilical hernia repair can be performed as an emergency or elective procedure. The doctor diagnoses the condition of the patient and analyzes the level of pain caused by the hernia and other symptoms. If the hernia is negatively affecting the life of the patient, then surgical repair is recommended.
Emergency umbilical hernia repair is usually performed on the patients who develop complications, such as strangulation or incarceration.
Umbilical hernia typically forms when the navel is damaged and the muscle wall loses its ability to keep the internal organs in place. It results in bulging around the belly button that can be pushed back inside. However, the bulge grows gradually and may become more noticeable whenever the intraabdominal pressure increases.
Most children and women get this type of hernia. Children get this hernia because the umbilical cord is recently cut and the muscles are weak. Due to this, when the child coughs or strains excessively, the organ pushes through the belly button and leads to an umbilical hernia. Similarly, women are more prone to getting umbilical hernias because of pregnancies, especially multiple pregnancies.
As umbilical hernias are usually painless, the condition may get undiagnosed for a long time. In children, the bulge around the navel may become visible when the child coughs or cries.
In adults, an umbilical hernia causes discomfort during activities that put pressure on the abdomen region. The bulge can be seen clearly. However, an expert would be able to tell you accurately about the type of hernia.
An expert doctor can identify an umbilical hernia through a physical examination. He/she will ask you to cough while sitting, standing, and lying down to check the bulge.
The doctor will also ask for your medical history to narrow down the exact cause of umbilical hernia.
The following tests will be recommended to identify the severity of the umbilical hernia and to determine the most appropriate path to perform the surgery.
Based on the results of these imaging tests, the doctor will determine which technique is safer and more effective for umbilical hernia treatment.
The severity of umbilical hernia is determined on the basis of problems it has been causing in the regular life of the individual. Normally, the progression of umbilical hernia can be prevented by taking preventive measures. However, if the following symptoms appear, it means that the condition has become severe-
These symptoms are an indication that you should see a hernia specialist right away.
Normally, an umbilical hernia develops due to congenital weakness in the muscle wall. In such scenarios, the hernia cannot be prevented. However, if there is no weakness in the abdominal muscle wall, the development of umbilical hernia can be prevented-
It is advisable that you consult a hernia doctor as soon as you notice a bulge in or around the abdomen. Through timely treatment, you may be able to prevent the umbilical hernia from progressing. However, in many cases, the umbilical hernia goes undiagnosed for a long time if it doesn’t cause any pain. If the following symptoms appear, you should seek help from a hernia specialist right away-
It is not possible to treat umbilical hernia or any other type of hernia without surgery. Lifestyle changes, medications, and support like truss can help to address the pain, swelling, and other symptoms. However, these methods won’t be effective in treating the root cause of the problem.
Surgery is the definitive treatment for an umbilical hernia. Through surgery, the doctor pushes the protruding organ back to its original position and repair the hole in the muscle wall. The repair can be done through-
This type of hernia repair is performed when the hole in the muscle wall can be closed by stitching the sides of the muscle opening. Thus, there is no need for additional support, and the muscle tissues will heal over time, thereby preventing the internal organs from pushing through.
Also known as mesh repair surgery, this type of hernia repair surgery involves using a synthetic or artificial mesh. The mesh pieces are precisely cut into the shape of the hole and placed above and beneath the muscle tissues to act as reinforcements. The corners of the mesh are stitched with the muscles to avoid displacement. The mesh prevents the organ from pushing through the muscle wall.
Both procedures are safe and effective in treating hernias and can be performed using open or laparoscopic techniques.
To prepare for umbilical hernia surgery, follow the steps below-
Once everything is ready, you will be taken to the operation theater (OT) and anesthesia will be given to numb the surgical site. The type of anesthesia is chosen based on the technique decided for umbilical hernia repair, either open or laparoscopic. General anesthesia is used when laparoscopic hernia repair is being performed and local/regional anesthesia is used for open repair.
As soon as the anesthesia takes effect, the following steps are carried out-
Shortly, you will be transferred to the observation room until the anesthesia wears off and then you’ll be moved back to the ward.
Immediately after the surgery, you will feel slightly disoriented. There will be numbness in the surgical site and IV fluids & pain medications will be given to you.
When hernia surgery is done electively without complications, the patient is generally discharged on the same day. However, if there are complications associated with the treatment, the doctor may suggest at least one day of hospitalization.
So, you will be discharged accordingly, and before that, the doctor will also create a recovery plan including diet, physical restrictions, etc.
The overall cost of umbilical hernia repair surgery will range from Rs. 65,000 to Rs. 2,50,000 approximately. The exact cost will vary for each patient based on the factors below-
You can ask the doctor and he/she will provide you with an estimate of the entire treatment cost.
As umbilical hernia can cause life-threatening complications, its treatment comes under the category of critical illnesses. Thus, all insurance providers offer plans with ample coverage for the treatment of umbilical hernia. You can pay for the entire treatment by using the insurance policy.
It is advised that you talk to your health insurance providers to find out how much amount you can claim through your plan.
The recovery after umbilical hernia surgery takes around 3-6 weeks. The actual period may be different for each patient based on the technique used for the repair and the patient’s healing abilities.
If the patient is healthy and open repair is done, the recovery will take around 4-6 weeks. In the same case, if laparoscopic repair is done, the recovery period will be around 3-4 weeks.
If the patient’s health is not optimal, then the recovery will be prolonged.
Umbilical cord is the connection between the mother and the baby which is cut off after the birth. Normally, the opening in the umbilical cord closes shortly after the child is born. However, in some cases, the opening may not close up and a hole will be left in the abdomen that makes the child more prone to umbilical hernia.
A large umbilical hernia is one that is bigger than 3 cm. At this stage, the doctors usually recommends surgical treatment. The hernia is not considered that severe if the size is less than 3 cm and it is reducible. Once the bulge reaches this size, it becomes more problematic and need proper treatment at the earliest.
Normally, the mesh can stay inside the body as long as the patient is comfortable. If it is not dissolvable or causing any problems in the body, there is no need for removal. But if there is a problem with hernia mesh, then a hernia mesh removal surgery will be needed.
In the next few days after umbilical hernia surgery, you may still have difficulty in sleeping on your back. So, it is advised that you sleep in a half-sitting position with ample support behind the upper body. You can slowly start to lie on your back as the incision heals.
Normally, in children, umbilical hernia goes away within the first two years after birth. Hence, surgery is usually not required. However, if the hernia doesn’t go away, surgery will be planned once the child reaches the age of 4-5 years.
The type of anesthesia that will be used for umbilical hernia repair depends on the patient. The anesthetist checks if the patient is allergic to some component of the anesthestic agent and then make a decision regarding the type of hernia.
If the open technique is used for hernia repair, the scarring on the body can be considerable and there are also chances that the scar will be clearly visible after healing. But if laparoscopic technique is used, the scars will be small and most likely to disappear shortly after the wound heals.
