What is umbilical hernia and how does it arise in children?
The umbilical hernia is a congenital defect in the area of the navel, through which the intestinal loop penetrates from the abdominal wall through a skin-covered opening.
When is umbilical hernia surgery necessary?
The best time for umbilical hernia surgery is from 4 years of age. We do a surgery earlier than that only if the child has problems (e.g. pain in the navel).
What happens before umbilical hernia surgery?
1-2 weeks before the operation, a pediatrician will perform a preoperative examination. On the day of the operation, the child arrives in the morning on an empty stomach (no food starting from midnight).
How do we perform the umbilical hernia surgery in our Prague clinics?
We perform the hernias operation as part of a one-day surgery at the Clinic in Malvazinky, Prague.
During the morning you will come with the little patient to the clinic. Without unnecessary waiting, the child is taken from the parents' arms by anesthesiologist straight to the OR, the child falls asleep by inhalation anesthesia (they play divers together). Under general anesthesia, an incision is made under the navel, an entrance (defect) in the abdominal wall is prepared and surgically closed. The aim is to remove the umbilical hernia and strengthen the area of the umbilical scar to prevent possible complications.
After the surgery, the patient rests with his parents in the postoperative room for about 2-3 hours. If the patient is OK, he leaves home with his parents on the same afternoon.
How and for how long is postoperative recovery and what to look out for?
One week after the operation, a rest mode is appropriate. The child can only shower, not bathe in the bath for a long time. A short walk is not a problem. The child should not exercise 4 weeks after the operation.
