L'umbilical hernia it can affect about 20 percent of newborns. This is generally an unproblematic condition that tends to resolve spontaneously within the baby's 18 months. Let's find out more about it.
In this article
- Umbilical hernia, what is it
- Umbilical hernia, how long does it stay?
- Umbilical hernia, when to worry
- Umbilical hernia, treatment
Umbilical hernia of the newborn, what is it
About 20% of newborns have aumbilical hernia. This is a swelling caused by the umbilical cord in the baby's abdomen. Specifically, it is the hernia (protrusion) of a hernial sac that contains the abdominal viscera or, more frequently, the omental fat (a sort of serous apron that covers all the organs of the abdomen) through a defect of the umbilical ring.
After birth, when the umbilical cord heals and falls out, the opening of the abdomen usually closes spontaneously.
It may happen that the opening does not close and you may notice that the baby has a protruding navel, especially when there is an increase in abdominal pressure such as during bowel movements or when crying. Despite this, although it may make an impression on the eye, the hernia usually causes no problemsas long as the child is comfortable and the area is not "soft" or extremely swollen.
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It should be remembered that, as long as the bulge is soft and compressible and does not cause any discomfort to the baby, the umbilical hernia is absolutely not problematic.
Furthermore, these hernias usually disappear from 12 to 18 months and surgery is rarely needed to close the hole.
Read also: Why is the navel of the newborn not healed yet?Umbilical hernia of the newborn, when to worry
If you notice swelling, soreness or discoloration around the umbilical area in your baby, contact your doctor immediately.
In very rare cases, a piece of the baby's intestines can get caught in the opening, disrupting blood flow to the area and thus requiring immediate surgery. Vomiting and constipation can also be symptoms of this problem.
Umbilical hernia, treatment
As anticipated, most umbilical hernias have a progressive one spontaneous resolution, which occurs mainly when the child begins to walk and thanks to the development of the rectus abdominis muscles.
Any surgery is recommended only after 4-5 years of age and is performed in younger patients only if the defect is of considerable size or if complications (very rare) are highlighted.
It is strongly recommended to perform surgical correction in girls, for whom the persistence of even a small defect could create problems during a future pregnancy. While, for male children, the surgical indication is only of an aesthetic nature.
The surgery involves a small incision around the navel to isolate the defect of the abdominal wall, the closure of which is carried out only through theaid of surgical sutures and without affixing prosthetic material.
The skin wound is closed with absorbable stitches, with a good aesthetic result. The little patient is discharged a few hours after the surgical procedure and post-operative pain is controlled with oral pain medication.
Read also: Umbilical hernia in the newborn: what it is, what needs to be doneSources:
babycenter.com
Infant Jesus Hospital
Read also: First care of the newborn: 4 things to know ABSOLUTELYTAG:
- navel of the baby
- bulging navel newborn
- care and health of the newborn
