Umbilical Hernia Repair
What is Umbilical hernia repair?
Umbilical hernia repair is a surgical procedure to correct an umbilical hernia, where abdominal contents (e.g., fat or intestine) protrude through a weak spot in the abdominal wall at the navel (umbilicus). It is common in infants but also occurs in adults, often due to increased abdominal pressure. In India, umbilical hernia repair is performed in general surgery departments, offering high-quality care at affordable costs. For patients and families in India, understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) is essential for informed decision-making and optimal outcomes.
Why do you need Umbilical hernia repair?
Umbilical hernia repair is indicated for:
- Symptomatic hernias: Pain, discomfort, or a bulge that worsens with coughing, lifting, or straining.
- Large or persistent hernias in children: If not resolved by age 4–5, or if the defect is >1–2 cm.
- Adults with umbilical hernias: Higher risk of complications like incarceration (trapped tissue) or strangulation (blood supply cut off).
- Complicated hernias: Emergency repair for strangulation, obstruction, or infection.
- Cosmetic concerns: Some patients opt for repair due to appearance, though this is less common.
The procedure aims to return the protruding tissue to the abdominal cavity, close the defect, and often reinforce the area with mesh (in adults) to prevent recurrence. In India, hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Medanta, and AIIMS specialize in umbilical hernia repair, using open or laparoscopic techniques.
Why Do Umbilical Hernia Repair Costs Vary in India?
Costs range from ₹40,000 to ₹2 lakh:
- Procedure Type: Open repair without mesh (₹40,000–₹80,000), with mesh (₹60,000–₹1.2 lakh), laparoscopic (₹80,000–₹2 lakh).
- Hospital/Location: Higher in metro cities (Apollo, Fortis); lower in government hospitals (AIIMS, ₹15,000–₹50,000).
- Surgeon’s Expertise: Experienced general surgeons charge more.
- Additional Costs: Mesh (₹10,000–₹30,000), hospital stay, diagnostics (ultrasound, CT), emergency bowel resection.
- Insurance: Covered for symptomatic or complicated hernias; Ayushman Bharat offers subsidies.
Umbilical Hernia Repair Procedure
The approach depends on the patient’s age, hernia size, and complications:
- Before Surgery Evaluation:
- Diagnosis:
- Physical exam: A reducible bulge at the umbilicus that increases with Valsalva maneuver (coughing/strain).
- Ultrasound or CT scan confirms the diagnosis in complex cases (e.g., incarcerated hernia, obese patients).
- Blood tests assess fitness for surgery (e.g., hemoglobin, coagulation).
- Patients are advised to stop smoking and lose weight (if obese) to reduce recurrence risk.
- Blood thinners (e.g., aspirin) are stopped 5–7 days prior to reduce bleeding risk.
- Fasting for 6–8 hours before surgery; IV fluids and prophylactic antibiotics (e.g., cefazolin) are given.
- Diagnosis:
- Surgical Techniques:
- Open Umbilical Hernia Repair:
- Performed under general or local anesthesia (children often under general), lasting 30–60 minutes.
- A 2–5 cm curved incision is made below or around the umbilicus.
- The hernia sac is identified, reduced (pushed back), or excised if non-viable.
- Children: Small defects (<1–2 cm) are closed with sutures (primary repair).
- Adults: Larger defects (>2 cm) are closed with sutures, and a synthetic mesh (e.g., polypropylene) is often placed to reinforce the area (mesh repair).
- The incision is closed with absorbable sutures; the navel’s appearance is preserved.
- Laparoscopic Umbilical Hernia Repair:
- Used for large hernias (>4 cm), recurrent hernias, or in obese patients; performed under general anesthesia, lasting 45–90 minutes.
- Three small incisions (0.5–1 cm) are made away from the umbilicus (e.g., lateral abdomen).
- The abdomen is inflated with CO2 gas; a camera and instruments are inserted.
- The hernia sac is reduced, and a mesh is placed intraperitoneally or preperitoneally to cover the defect.
- Incisions are closed with glue or sutures; often a day procedure.
- Emergency Repair:
- For strangulated hernias, an open approach is used; bowel resection may be needed if tissue is non-viable.
- Open Umbilical Hernia Repair:
- After Surgery:
- Patients are monitored for a few hours (outpatient) or 1–2 days (emergency or laparoscopic).
- Pain is managed with analgesics (e.g., paracetamol, ibuprofen); shoulder pain (from CO2) may occur in laparoscopic cases.
- Antibiotics are rarely needed unless infection or bowel resection occurred.
- A soft diet starts within 6–12 hours; patients are encouraged to walk early to prevent blood clots.
Recovery After Umbilical Hernia Repair
- Hospital Stay: Outpatient or 1 day (open/laparoscopic); 2–5 days (emergency).
- Post-Surgery Care:
- Pain for 3–7 days (open/laparoscopic), managed with analgesics.
- Incision care: Keep wounds dry for 48 hours; sutures (if not absorbable) are removed in 7–10 days.
- Activity: Light walking on day 1; avoid heavy lifting (>5 kg) for 4–6 weeks (open/laparoscopic) or 6–8 weeks (emergency).
- A compression garment or abdominal binder may be advised for 2–4 weeks to support the repair.
- Diet:
- Start with liquids (e.g., water, soups), then soft foods (e.g., rice, boiled vegetables) for 1–2 days.
- High-fiber diet (e.g., fruits, oats) and 2–3 liters water daily prevent constipation and straining.
- Follow-Up:
- Visit at 1–2 weeks to check incisions and recovery.
- No routine imaging unless recurrence or complications are suspected.
Most resume normal activities in 2–4 weeks (open/laparoscopic) or 4–6 weeks (emergency). Success rates are 95–98%; recurrence risk is 1–5% with mesh, 10–15% without.
Risks and Complications
- Surgical Risks: Bleeding (1–2%), infection (1–3%, higher in open), seroma/hematoma (2–5%).
- Post-Surgical Complications:
- Recurrence (1–5% with mesh, 10–15% without).
- Chronic pain (2–5%, due to nerve irritation or mesh).
- Mesh complications: Infection (1–2%), migration (rare).
- General Risks: Anesthesia reactions, blood clots (DVT, <1%).
- Long-Term: Umbilical deformity (1–3%), bowel obstruction (rare, <1%).
Report fever, severe pain, or swelling promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What causes an umbilical hernia?
Congenital weakness (in infants), or increased abdominal pressure in adults (e.g., obesity, pregnancy, chronic cough, heavy lifting).
Can an umbilical hernia heal without surgery?
In infants, many close spontaneously by age 4–5; in adults, surgery is required if symptomatic or complicated.
Is laparoscopic better than open repair?
Laparoscopic offers less pain and faster recovery for large/recurrent hernias but requires general anesthesia; open is simpler for small hernias.
How soon can I resume activities?
2–4 weeks (open/laparoscopic), 4–6 weeks (emergency).
Is umbilical hernia repair covered by insurance in India?
Yes, for symptomatic or complicated hernias; confirm with your provider.
Signs of complications?
Fever, severe pain, swelling, or inability to pass stool/urine (strangulation).
Can an umbilical hernia recur?
Yes, 1–5% risk with mesh; higher (10–15%) without mesh or in obese/smoking patients.
Lifestyle changes post-surgery?
Avoid heavy lifting for 4–6 weeks, maintain healthy weight, high-fiber diet, quit smoking, regular follow-ups.
Conclusion
Umbilical hernia repair is a safe, effective procedure with high success rates and manageable recovery, especially with mesh reinforcement. India’s top hospitals (Apollo, Fortis, AIIMS) offer affordable, expert care. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs helps patients approach umbilical hernia repair confidently. Consult a general surgeon for personalized guidance and successful treatment.
Looking for Best Hospitals for Umbilical hernia repair
Note: we are not promoting any hospitals
we are not promoting any hospitals we sourced all the details from google and hospitals website, please verify and start with your surgery here we go the list includes government, budget and superspeciality hospitals accreditation bodies are the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Joint Commission International (JCI)
- click on your city and schedule your surgery now done in good hands.
| City | Minimum Price (₹) | Maximum Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|
Agra |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Ahmedabad |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Ajmer |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Aligarh |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Allahabad |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Amritsar |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Aurangabad |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Bangalore |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Bareilly |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Belgaum |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Bhopal |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Bhubaneswar |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Bikaner |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Chandigarh |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Chennai |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Coimbatore |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Dehradun |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Delhi |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Dhanbad |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Durgapur |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Faridabad |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Ghaziabad |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Gorakhpur |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Guntur |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Gurgaon |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Guwahati |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Gwalior |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Hyderabad |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Indore |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Jabalpur |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Jaipur |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Jalandhar |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Jamshedpur |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Jodhpur |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
kanpur |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Kochi |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Kolkata |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Kollam |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Lucknow |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Ludhiana |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Madurai |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Mangalore |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Meerut |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Moradabad |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Mumbai |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Mysore |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Nagpur |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Nashik |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Navi Mumbai |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Noida |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Patna |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Pune |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Raipur |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Rajkot |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Ranchi |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Surat |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Thane |
60,000 |
2,50,000 |
Vadodara |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Varanasi |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Visakhapatnam |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Disclaimer
This information is sourced from open platforms and is for general awareness only. Costs may vary based on individual cases. Please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice and explore options within your budget before deciding on the procedure.