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Complicated umbilical hernia in children: An experience in a tertiary hospital in Enugu, Nigeria
Author(s) -
Chukwubuike Kevin Emeka
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
surgical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.109
H-Index - 10
eISSN - 1744-1633
pISSN - 1744-1625
DOI - 10.1111/1744-1633.12434
Subject(s) - medicine , presentation (obstetrics) , hernia , surgery , wound dehiscence , umbilical hernia , dehiscence , retrospective cohort study , general surgery
Objective To evaluate the demographic characteristics, presentation, treatment and management outcome of patients that presented with complicated umbilical hernia. Methodology This was a retrospective study of children that had complicated umbilical hernia and were managed at the paediatric surgery unit of Enugu State University Hospital (ESUTH) Enugu, Nigeria, over a 10‐year period. Results There were 21 cases of complicated umbilical hernia recorded over the study period. These complications were in the form of incarceration, obstruction or strangulation. There were 15 males (71.4%) and 6 females (28.6%), with a male to female ratio of 2.5:1. The median age of the patients was 48 months (range: 12‐168). The median duration of symptoms prior to presentation to the hospital was 2 days (range: 1‐3) and the median duration of hospital stay was 5 days (range: 3‐10 days). Abdominal pain was the predominant presenting symptom in the patients (81%) and omentum was the most common content of the hernia sac (57.2%). Post‐operative complications included surgical site infection (9.5%), wound dehiscence (4.8%) and hypertrophied scar (9.5%). There was no mortality. Conclusion Complications arising from umbilical hernias are rare events. However, there is need for early treatment when complications occur.