A hernia is a protrusion of an organ through the wall of a cavity in which it normally resides. Pediatric umbilical hernias affect an estimated 15% to 23% of children at birth. Umbilical hernias can be benign and undergo spontaneous closure by age 4 or 5 years. Patients with acute complications such as incarceration or strangulation require urgent surgical intervention. It is important to have a deeper understanding of the etiology and presentation of umbilical hernias in order to determine which situations necessitate surgical evaluation.
展开▼
