General anesthesia is used. A curved incision is made under the umbilicus. The hernia sac is identified and dissected from the underlying tissues, and cut out. The underlying tissues are then closed with strong nonabsorbable sutures. The surgical scar should be hidden in the umbilical depression.
Umbilical hernias are fairly common.
This is more obvious when the infant cries and the increased pressure results in more visible bulging. The defect is not usually treated surgically. In most cases, by age 3 the umbilical hernia shrinks and closes without treatment. The long-term prognosis is excellent. Very rarely the hernia will reoccur.