When a patient comes with a umbilical hernia to the hospital, then most often he is recommended to remove it by surgical intervention. But many are afraid and pull to the last, hoping that everything will resolve itself. In fact, knowledge of what constitutes an umbilical hernia in adults, feedback on surgery, will help get rid of fear and unrest. information about where it comes from, why it is necessary to do it, and why delay is dangerous.
What is umbilical hernia
Normally, in the place where the tendon and muscle fibers are in contact, they are closely intertwined, but sometimes in the navel, for some reason, they do not closely adjoin each other, and then the umbilical ring relaxes and enlarges. A kind of hernia gate is obtained, which allows the organs of the abdominal cavity under internal pressure to protrude outward beyond its limits, forming an umbilical hernia. This is usually a large omentum or part of the intestine. They are located in a hernial sac, consisting of a membrane of the peritoneum.
At the onset of the disease, the umbilical hernia is still small and easily inserted inward, but gradually, as a result of the adhesion process, the hernial sac merges with the adjacent tissues, and it is no longer possible to set the hernia inward. And with time, the umbilical ring can expand so much that the stomach can also get into the hernial sac.
Umbilical hernia in adults: symptoms, treatment
When the hernia is small, then it is not particularly disturbing. Of course, sometimes there are unpleasant sensations, but they obviously do not affect the quality of life, and a small increase in the navel does not scare, especially men.
Adhesion process is gradually developing , it becomes more and more difficult to correct the hernia, pain appears with prolonged standing, coughing, physical exertion.
Later, if treatment has not been carried out, the patient begins to worry about constipation, difficulty urinating, frequent nausea, and vomiting may occur. This stage is fraught with dangerous complications, and you should not drag out with a visit to the surgeon.
The doctor is likely to propose an operation, as there simply is no alternative, although many hope that by correcting the hernia, they will get rid of it forever. But this is impossible, and only a surgeon can eliminate it.
Umbilical hernia in adults can manifest itself in different ways. Reviews about this disease are diverse. Those with whom it has not reached large sizes and does not particularly bother are optimistic. But some patients complain of periodically unbearable pain, which even strong painkillers are unable to eliminate.
Causes of umbilical hernia
Most often, this disease develops due to a weakening of the anterior wall of the peritoneum and the umbilical ring. Another factor is strong pressure from within the abdominal cavity. When both causes are present, the hernia develops quickly, and the situation is considered dangerous and needs urgent treatment.
The reasons why the umbilical ring can relax are as follows:
- Lack of physical activity and muscle weakness.
- Features of connective tissue from birth.
- Excessive fullness.
- Fast weight loss.
- Pregnancy (most often develops in late birth).
- Adhesions and sutures after surgery.
- Abdominal injuries.
The increase in intrauterine pressure is due to:
- Childbirth, accompanied by complications.
- Great physical activity.
- Frequent constipation.
- A prolonged, intense cough.
Diagnostics
Usually, the surgeon diagnoses the presence of the disease quickly enough. Her symptoms are pronounced. The doctor interviews the patient and finds out if there is pain in the abdomen during coughing, physical exertion. Examining the patient, he finds out whether the umbilical ring is enlarged. To establish more detailed information, he will prescribe a radiography of the stomach, duodenum, ultrasound protrusion, gastroscopy. Appoint herniography - this is an introduction into the abdominal cavity of a contrast agent that will allow you to examine the hernia.
When there is a suspicion that an umbilical hernia appeared - in adults - symptoms, treatment is determined only by a doctor, otherwise it is possible to confuse it with another, no less, and maybe even more serious disease.
Umbilical hernia and pregnancy
With a gradual increase in the uterus, intra-abdominal pressure also increases, therefore, umbilical hernia is a frequent occurrence in pregnant women. But surgical intervention is usually not required, since the disease is quite calm. This happens because the increase in pressure occurs gradually, and the uterus, located between the gates of the hernial sac and organs, prevents their strong loss.
Moreover, surgery during pregnancy negatively affects it. Therefore, the doctor recommends wearing compression underwear and a bandage. They are selected necessarily under his leadership.
The same doctor will observe the patient after childbirth and determine the period of the operation. This usually happens when the abdominal muscles recover after stretching, as does the entire body of a woman.
Some women who were diagnosed with umbilical hernia during pregnancy (in adults) are left with the most positive reviews about the operation . To some, the surgeon, at their request, eliminated minor cosmetic deficiencies associated with bearing a child. And operations are carried out with gentle methods and do not leave ugly scars and marks on the body, which is most important for a woman.
Possible complications
Exacerbations can occur at any period of the appearance of a hernia. Its infringement is most dangerous when blood circulation is disturbed, and organ tissues begin to die. Usually this happens in older people, as the conditions for this develop on an increasing basis throughout life.
Inflammation of the organ that got into the hernial sac may begin, often this is a bowel loop or omentum. In this case, part of the peritoneum enters there, which can contribute to the rapid development of peritonitis.
Usually, complications are provoked by lifting heavy objects or significant physical exertion. But it also happens that even laughter, coughing or sneezing can cause pinching. Defecation may contribute increased pressure on the hernia and cause inflammation.
Symptoms of its infringement:
- There is a sharp pain in the umbilical ring.
- It is impossible to set the hernia in the abdominal cavity, if before that it was easy enough.
- The hernial sac becomes hot and tense.
- With severe inflammation, general intoxication occurs, accompanied by headache, nausea, vomiting, aching in the joints and lower back, fever.
- When pinching the intestinal loop, symptoms are like intestinal obstruction.
If these signs appear, then an immediate visit to a doctor is justified.
Hernia Removal Surgery
An operation to remove an umbilical hernia is called hernioplasty, during which the organs return to the abdominal cavity, and the hernia gate is strengthened so that the disease does not return again.
It is best performed when the hernia has not yet reached large sizes. Then there will be less complications, and the rehabilitation period passes without problems. Those who are diagnosed with umbilical hernia agree with this. In adults, feedback about the operation just confirms this opinion: everyone who went to the hospital on time says they feel great, and there was no repeated protrusion.
Surgery is contraindicated in complex heart diseases, chronic pathologies, acute infections and pregnancy.
The choice of the procedure for the operation also depends on how the clinical picture proceeds. Plastic surgery of hernia gates can take place with the involvement of the patient’s tissues, and synthetic mesh implants are sometimes used. The endoprosthesis is used when the hernia gate is significantly expanded, and the umbilical ring is greatly weakened. Usually this method justifies itself, and postoperative relapse does not occur.
The disadvantage of the classical method of hernioplasty is a long recovery period, its duration can reach up to a year, if the hernia was large or there was an infringement.
What does an umbilical hernia look like in adults after surgery? The photo below demonstrates how successfully hernioplasty was performed and what the stomach looks like if the call to the doctor was timely.
If the operation is planned, and the hernia is small, then the doctor may suggest laparoscopy. In this case, no incisions are made, and everything happens with a few punctures. This method is relatively young and quite effective. The main condition is that the hernia should not be large.
Its advantage is that relapses are extremely rare, rehabilitation is much faster than with open interventions, and scars are almost invisible. This is due to the fact that adjacent tissues are injured much less, the risk of postoperative adhesive processes is reduced.
How successful is an umbilical hernia in adults? Reviews after surgery are mostly positive. Almost all patients claim that during its conduct, although local anesthesia was used, they did not feel any special pains and even talked to the surgeon.
There are those to whom the disease returned again for various reasons: due to severe fright, weight lifting, coughing. With repeated surgery, many decide to put an endoprosthesis.
Rehabilitation
When an umbilical hernia is removed in adults, treatment is performed after surgery further takes place in the hospital. You can get out of bed the very next day, and if everything went well, then you can soon go home. When there were certain complications with infringement and inflammation, then there is a need for antibiotic injections, and it will take longer to lie in the hospital.
So that the disease does not return and the pressure on the still weak seams is significantly reduced, it is recommended to wear a special bandage after the operation.
With umbilical hernia, physical activity has a beneficial effect on recovery, but they should be moderate and consistent with the patient's condition. Walking and light running are allowed after two weeks. And weight lifting and training are allowed after a month, and then it should be strictly dosed loads.
Nutrition after surgery
Careful attention to food requires an umbilical hernia in adults after surgery. The diet should be sparing, and there are contraindications to those foods that lead to constipation and gas formation, as they can cause excessive pressure on the intestines.
Fatty meat, fish, smoked meats and marinades are those foods that should not be in the diet. They also include mushrooms, legumes, brown bread, pastries made from yeast dough, cream, ice cream, hard-boiled eggs.
Porridge made from cornmeal, millet and pearl barley is also better not to eat, as well as raisins, dried apricots, seeds and nuts. Vegetables such as radish and radish, tomatoes, cabbage, onions and garlic, sweet peppers and eggplant are also harmful to maintain the integrity of the seam.
Intestinal peristalsis can increase, and the volume of feces will increase significantly if you eat a lot of foods containing fiber, and this is also necessary in every possible way to avoid. But at the same time, it is needed for better bowel movement, therefore it is necessary to use it, but with caution. Bananas, peaches, apples, grapes - let these fruits wait until the seams are removed, as well as black tea, coffee, juices, kvass and alcohol.
Of course, the diet is quite rigid, but it contributes to a speedy recovery, and enduring it is quite possible. Before removing the seams, you should eat only low-fat broths, semi-liquid vegetable soups, thin cereals, cottage cheese, steamed dietary meat or fish, soft-boiled or scrambled eggs, a small amount of crackers. It is better to drink weak tea and fruit and berry jelly. These simple products will help satisfy your hunger, and postoperative sutures will be intact.
It becomes clear that when an umbilical hernia appears in adults, reviews of the operation show that the sooner treatment is started, and in this case the intervention of the surgeon, the consequences are more predictable, and you can simply forget about the disease forever.