UMBILICAL HERNIA

An umbilical hernia occurs when part of the intestine or abdominal tissue pushes through a weak spot near the navel or umbilicus. It may appear as a swelling or bulge around the belly button and may become more visible during coughing, lifting, standing, or straining. At Dr Kumar at Billroth Hospitals, we evaluate the size, symptoms, and risk level before recommending treatment.

In adults, an umbilical hernia usually develops when a weak area near the navel is exposed to repeated pressure. Common causes include being overweight, multiple pregnancies, fluid accumulation in the abdomen, persistent cough, heavy lifting, and previous abdominal surgeries. We also assess lifestyle factors and medical conditions because reducing abdominal pressure is important for long-term recovery after repair.

The most common symptom is a protrusion or swelling in or near the navel. The swelling may increase while coughing, lifting weights, standing, or doing physical work. Some patients may also feel pain, heaviness, or discomfort at the hernia site. If the hernia becomes obstructed, it may cause vomiting, abdominal distension, and severe pain.

Yes, an umbilical hernia can become serious if the intestine gets trapped inside the hernia. This may cause obstruction, leading to pain, vomiting, and abdominal swelling. In some cases, the blood supply to the trapped intestine may be cut off, causing strangulation. Strangulated hernia is an emergency and requires urgent surgery. We advise patients not to ignore painful or irreducible hernia swelling.

In adults, an umbilical hernia usually does not heal permanently without surgery. Small hernias may sometimes be monitored if they are painless and low-risk, but symptomatic, enlarging, painful, obstructed, or complicated hernias often need repair. We recommend treatment based on hernia size, symptoms, patient fitness, and risk of complications.

Laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair is a keyhole surgery where small incisions are made, a camera is inserted, and the hernia is repaired from inside the abdomen. The intestine is pushed back into place, the defect is closed, and mesh may be placed to strengthen the area. This approach may offer minimal pain, shorter hospital stay, smaller scars, and faster recovery for suitable patients.

Robotic umbilical hernia surgery is an advanced minimally invasive repair performed with robotic assistance. It may be useful for selected complicated umbilical hernias because it provides enhanced 3D vision, fine instrument control, and precise suturing. We decide whether robotic surgery is suitable after evaluating the hernia size, complexity, previous surgery history, and patient’s overall health.

Open umbilical hernia repair may be recommended for larger hernias, complicated hernias, or cases where open access is safer. In this method, an incision is made near the hernia, the intestine or tissue is placed back into the abdomen, the defect is closed, and mesh may be placed. We choose open, laparoscopic, or robotic repair depending on patient suitability and safety.

Mesh is commonly used in adult umbilical hernia repair to strengthen the weak area and reduce the chance of recurrence. Whether mesh is needed depends on the size of the defect, tissue quality, patient weight, recurrence risk, and surgical method. We explain the need for mesh clearly before surgery so patients understand the repair plan.

We provide laparoscopic, robotic, and open umbilical hernia treatment at Dr Kumar at Billroth Hospitals. Dr Kumar has more than 29 years of experience and has performed thousands of umbilical hernia surgeries successfully. Our approach focuses on accurate diagnosis, safe repair, minimal pain where possible, faster recovery, and personalised post-surgery care.