India’s leading female laparoscopic surgeon Dr Amita Jain explains what is Paraumbilical and Umbilical hernia, the causes of paraumbilical hernia, and how to treat an umbilical hernia.
Paraumbilical and umbilical hernias refer to hernias that develop at the ‘belly button region of the body. These two types of hernias commonly occur when the section of the intestine or other abdominal cavity tissue pushes to try to push through the naturally weak part of the abdomen wall at or immediately adjacent to the umbilicus (belly button). The contents of your abdomen bulge through and create a lump, called a hernia. A paraumbilical hernia is commonly found in adults while an umbilical hernia often develops in children.
What causes Paraumbilical and Umbilical Hernia?
Umbilical hernias don’t always require surgical repair. Surgery is needed when the hernia causes extreme pain, the hernia is larger than half an inch in size when the hernia is strangulated.
In infants, an umbilical hernia can develop at the time of birth it may push the belly button out. Umbilical hernias in newborns will almost always heal without surgery. However, doctors may recommend surgery if the hernia hasn’t gone away by age 3 or 4 or if the hernia is causing pain or restricted blood flow.
In adults’ Umbilical hernias may occur as a result of excess fluid in the abdominal cavity, previous abdominal surgery, and chronic peritoneal dialysis
Post-Pregnancy: Umbilical hernias are common among women who were recently pregnant. Women who have had multiple pregnancies are at even greater risk for umbilical hernias.
How to treat Paraumbilical and Umbilical Hernia?
Umbilical hernia repair surgery is performed in two different ways:
Open hernia repair surgery – that the conventional open hernia repair surgery where the surgeon makes an incision near the belly button to access the hernia over the bulge site. However, patients commonly require a longer recovery time under open surgery.
Laparoscopic hernia repair is a more advanced and less invasive procedure. The surgeon makes small incisions around the hernia site and uses thin laparoscopic tubes (instruments) to perform the surgery. The recovery time of laparoscopy hernia surgery is commonly very quick, at a large and average laparoscopic surgery hernia patient is discharged either on the same day or within 24 hours of the operation.
What is the recovery process after the Hernia Repair procedure?
The recovery should be fairly quick after your hernia repair surgery if it is performed using laparoscopy. The patient can expect to be able to go home the same day after laparoscopic hernia repair surgery.
Patients take a longer recovery time if open surgery is performed for hernia repair. Commonly in such a scenario, a patient needs to rest for one to two weeks to allow their wounds to heal.
About Dr Amita Jain
Dr Amita Jain holds 27 plus years of rich experience in Trauma and General Laparoscopic Surgeries (including Gallbladder stone removal, appendix removal, hernia repair surgery, piles and fissure surgeries). She was a Professor Surgery of at the Army College of Medical Sciences and Base Hospital Delhi Cantt. In 1994 she was commissioned as Surgeon under the United Nations Mission in Congo. Currently, she is the General and Laparoscopic Surgeon at Bansal Hospital, New Delhi.
Dr Amita Jain is a surgeon with highest degree of professional competence, precision and surgical craftsmanship. Performed all complicated general surgery procedures with in depth knowledge of invasive and few minimal invasive and onco surgical techniques. Underwent special training in trauma, executed various trauma-related complex life-saving neurosurgical procedures, reconstructed injured mangled limbs and performed vascular and reconstructive procedures with critical care.
Dr Amita Jain holds 28 plus years of rich experience in Trauma and General Laparoscopic Surgeries (including Gallbladder stone removal, appendix removal, hernia repair surgery, piles and fissure surgeries). She was the Professor Surgery of at the Army College of Medical Sciences and Base Hospital Delhi Cantt. In 1994 she was commissioned as Surgeon under the United Nations Mission in Congo. From 2020 to 2022, she worked with Bansals Hospital. Currently, Dr Amita Jain is the Senior Consultant, (Speciality: General and Laparoscopic Surgeon) at Artemis Lite Hospital, New Delhi