Causes
Umbilical hernias (Hernia umbilicalis) are divided into those that occur in the newborn or infant and those that develop in adulthood. Umbilical hernias in newborns occur when the umbilical ring does not shrink fast enough after the umbilical cord has been severed or when it is overgrown by new tissue. Especially in children born prematurely, this process takes longer, so that many children among premature babies have an umbilical hernia.
However, umbilical hernia is also not unusual in mature babies. Nor is it a cause for concern, as it usually closes by itself in the course of time. In adults, the umbilical hernia has other causes.
The main cause is excessive pressure in the abdominal cavity. If this pressure is increased over a longer period of time, the tissue in the area of the navel can no longer withstand this pressure sufficiently and the navel can “break”. Accordingly, one of the main risk factors for an umbilical hernia is overweight.
Pregnancies are also a cause of umbilical hernia as they also cause increased pressure in the abdominal area. Also an accumulation of water in the abdominal cavity, the so-called ascites (dropsy), presses against the abdominal wall and can thus lead to an umbilical hernia. Ascites can be a symptom of various diseases, it occurs for example in the context of liver diseases.Since the umbilical hernia is usually congenital in infants, it cannot be prevented.
In adults, the only way to prevent it is to avoid risk factors. This means above all to avoid overweight and inappropriate physical strain as much as possible. The prognosis for infants and toddlers is very good, since, except in a few exceptional cases, the umbilical hernia takes a complication-free course and heals on its own by the second year of life.
In adults there is a much higher risk of incarceration, which results in a high rate of complications. However, if an umbilical hernia is discovered and operated on early, it can be treated well and the patient should take it easy for about six weeks after the operation, but apart from a small scar, he or she will not suffer any permanent damage. The umbilical hernia refers to the bulging out through a gap in the abdominal wall in the area of the navel and is a very common finding.
In infants, it usually resolves spontaneously, in adults, the umbilical hernia should be operated (surgery), because there is a high probability that parts of the intestine get caught in the hernial sac, which can lead to severe pain and, in the worst case, to death of the tissue. In the majority of cases, complete healing can be achieved by the operation.
