Umbilical Hernia

An umbilical hernia is a protrusion of the abdominal lining, or a portion of abdominal organ(s), through the area around the navel (belly-button). This can be an area of natural weakness in the abdomen as the umbilicus is made up of tissue that is thinner than the rest of the abdomen.

Umbilical hernias are common in infants. The exact incidence is unknown, but may be as high as 1 in 6 infants.
An umbilical hernia is caused by the incomplete closure of the umbilical ring (muscle), through which the umbilical blood vessels passed to provide nourishment to the developing foetus.

The hernia generally appears as a soft swelling beneath the skin that often protrudes when the infant is upright, crying, or straining. Depending on the severity of the hernia, the area of the defect can vary in size, from less than 1 to more than 5 centimeters in diameter.

Usually, no treatment is required unless the defect persists past the age of 3 to 4 years.
In extremely rare cases, bowel or other tissue can protrude and become strangulated through the lack of blood flow to a section of bowel. This would require emergency surgery.