Hernias
Umbilical hernia
A protrusion at the belly button, common in adults and after pregnancy. Repair can be open or minimally invasive, often combined with diastasis correction.
Symptoms
- Bulge or protrusion at the belly button
- Umbilical pain or discomfort
- Discomfort during coughing, sport or lifting
- Sensation of pressure or heaviness
- Swelling that increases when standing
Treatment approaches
- Open repair with mesh for small or medium defects
- Laparoscopic or robotic repair for larger or recurrent defects, especially when associated with diastasis
- Combined repair of the linea alba when diastasis is present
When to seek urgent care
If the umbilical bulge becomes hard, painful, non-reducible or associated with nausea, vomiting or fever, urgent surgical assessment is needed because of the risk of strangulation.
Diagnosis
Clinical examination and dynamic ultrasound are usually sufficient. The ultrasound assesses the defect size, the hernia content and the presence of associated rectus diastasis.
