Umbilical hernia
In different age periods the umbilical hernia is significantly different from each other, so it was decided to distinguish umbilical hernia in children and umbilical hernia in adults.
Umbilical hernia in children:
Umbilical hernia in children is a consequence of the anterior abdominal wall development defect. All the factors causing the increase of pressure inside abdominal cavity can lead to rupture. Umbilical hernias in children occur rather often, especially among girls, usually in the first months of life.
Signs of an umbilical hernia: in an upright position and straining the child in the area of the navel protrusion appears round or oval bulla, which is usually independently set in a horizontal position at the back. If the hernia ring is broad, the hernia is easy set. In the narrow hernia ring the hernia can be difficulty to repair. This is considered as a partial strangulation. Complete strangulation of hernia does not happen often.
Umbilical hernia in adults:
Umbilical hernia in adults is only 3-5% of all abdominal hernias. They arise mostly in women older than 30 years, since pregnancy and childbirth weakens umbilical ring. Large hernias often have hernia sac to consist of smaller isolated sacs, the contents of which may be the stomach and intestines.
The symptoms of umbilical hernia depends on its size, the size of hernia ring, severity of adhesions and associated obesity. Some hernias can be repaired; other ones cannot be, for example in the case when the hernia sac fuse with surrounding tissues.
