Can Umbilical Hernias Come Back?

Question

Is it true that even if a umbilical hernia is fixed, it can come back? My doctor told me he fixed my umbilical hernia but in rare cases it can come back?, is there anything that can be done to prevent this?

Christian A. Prada, MD, FACS · Answer

Umbilical hernias can recur.  The recurrence rate is higher for larger hernias fixed with sutures alone.  I would suggest to your physician using a mesh plug for larger defects.

Francis Johns, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.Hernias can always recur. The key is to follow your post-op instructions and allow it to heal completely before doing any abdominal exercises.

Matthew C. Camp, MD · Answer

Good question!All hernia repairs are vulnerable to failure. The rate of occurrence is low, but real. Umbilical hernias are repaired by bringing the strong connective tissues that line the muscles together with sutures. The sutures are not expected to last forever. We rely on the formation of a strong scar down deep to provide a permanent correction. If in the early stages of healing (The first couple of months) you strain hard and put pressure on the repair, the tissue may stretch and the hernia will return. I would avoid pushing hard when using the bathroom, and any other strenuous core activities. Hopefully if you give yourself some time to heal, you will never have to worry about the hernia again. BestMatthew C Camp

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

It’s not unusual for plastic surgeons to encounter umbilical
hernias when they’re evaluating or treating abnormalities of the abdominal
wall.Under these circumstances, they
frequently repair these defects when performing abdominoplasty surgery.Unfortunately
in many cases, these closures continue to be exposed to the same forces that led
to their development.In fact, anything
that increases intra-abdominal pressure can lead to recurrent hernias.For this reason, it’s generally accepted that
hernias can be expected to recur in a small percentage of patients following
surgical repair.

Jeremy S. Hurren, BSc, MBBS, FRCS (Plast) · Answer

An umbilical hernia is a defect (hole) in the muscle layer of the your tummy wall. The belly contents consisting of bowel and fat can then poke through the hole (herniate). When the hernia is repaired the hole is closed. If the repair of the hole fails then a hernia will recur.So yes they can recur. They can be re-repaired.Best wishes

David Bogue, MD · Answer

Depending on the type of hernia repair, there is always a concern for recurrence. Most small hernias are easily repaired, however the repair may fail if there is significant strain on the repair prior to the scar healing. This can occur from coughing, straining, or even heavy lifting.

Robert Brueck, MD · Answer

Yes it cvan come back but usually it will recur in the short term if sufficient time isn't given for it to heal.I would not do anything special.

Jonathan J. Staiano, FRCS (Plast) · Answer

I am afraid that it is a risk following any repair of a hernia that it may come back. The hernia is initially due to weakness of your abdominal wall and repairing it usually involves suturing the defect together. However if the tissues are weak, they can stretch and the hernia recur. If it is troublesome, then you may need to have it repaired again and if the tissues are not strong enough to hold together, a mesh can be used. Good luck. Jonathan Staiano.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Recurrence is a real event and even though not common it can happen. Best to discuss in detail with your chosen general/hernia surgeon.

Peter E. Johnson, MD · Answer

An umbilical hernia can recur after tummy tuck, though your surgeon is right in that recurrence is not common. A hernia anywhere can recur if the events are right such as abdominal strain, pregnancy, or weight gain.
	Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Can Umbilical Hernias Come Back?

Answers (13)

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