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Illustrated Health Encyclopedia
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Ency. home > Disease > U > Umbilical hernia

Umbilical hernia   

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Treatment

Usually, no treatment is required unless the defect persists past the age of 2 years. In extremely rare cases, bowel or other tissue can protrude and become strangulated (lack of blood flow to a section of bowel). This is an emergency requiring surgery.

Prognosis

Most umbilical hernias resolve without treatment by 2 years of age. Those that persist are usually successfully treated by surgery.

Complications

Strangulation of bowel tissue is serious, and requires immediate surgery (rare).

Call Your Health Care Provider If:

Call your health care provider, or go to the emergency room if abdominal pain develops in an infant with an umbilical hernia, or if the hernia becomes tender, swollen, or discolored -- particularly if signs of peritonitis or shock also develop.

Ency. home > Disease > U > Umbilical hernia

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