Umbilical hernia

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Umbilical hernia

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 (lack of blood flow to a section of bowel). This is an emergency requiring surgery.

Most umbilical hernias resolve without treatment by 3 to 4 years of age. Those that persist are usually successfully treated by surgery.

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

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.

Review Date: 10/27/2005
Reviewed By: Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.