Your surgeon for Umbilical Hernia
Every procedure is carried out by a consultant-level surgeon.
What is Umbilical Hernia?
An umbilical hernia is tissue pushing through a weak spot in the abdominal wall right at the belly button. It shows as a soft bulge at the navel that gets bigger when you cough, stand or strain, and it may ache or feel heavy.
It is why the lump reappears every time you strain: the navel is the one place where the umbilical ring never fully closed, so pressure in the abdomen pushes fat or a loop of intestine straight through it. In adults it does not close on its own.
It matters because the tissue can become trapped: the bulge turns hard and tender, cannot be pushed back in, and that is treated as an emergency. In children many of these hernias close by the age of three to five, but in adults surgery is the only permanent treatment.
At Primitive Health Care the usual treatment is laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair. Small cuts are made, one at the edge of the navel, the sac is pushed back, a mesh is fixed behind the muscle and the cuts are closed with fine stitches. It takes 30 to 90 minutes and most patients go home the same day.
Illustration only. Your surgeon will explain your own findings.
Umbilical Hernia treatment at a glance
The essentials, before you read any further.
| Condition | Umbilical Hernia |
|---|---|
| Procedure | Laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair with mesh |
| Duration | 30 to 90 minutes |
| Performed by | Senior Surgeon |
| Anaesthesia | General |
| Hospital stay | Same day discharge in most cases |
| Back to routine | 3 to 5 days |
Are you experiencing any of these?
If two or more of these sound familiar, it is worth speaking to a surgeon.
- A bulge or swelling at the belly button
- The bulge grows when you cough, stand or strain
- Discomfort or aching around the navel
- Pain when you lift, bend or exercise
- The bulge becomes hard, tender or red
- A bulge that can no longer be pushed back in
Talk to our medical adviser for free
No cost for the first consultation and no obligation to book anything.
Laser treatment compared with open surgery
Both are real options. This is how they differ in practice.
| Open surgery | Laser surgery | |
|---|---|---|
| Cuts and incisions | A 4 to 8 cm cut at the navel | One small cut at the navel only |
| Stitches | Many stitches along the cut | A few fine stitches or glue |
| Pain afterwards | Significant, needs strong painkillers | Mild, controlled with routine medication |
| Bleeding | More | Minimal |
| Hospital stay | One to two days | Same day discharge in most cases |
| Return to work | Two to three weeks | Three to five days |
| Risk of wound infection | Higher, open wound | Low |
Laser treatment is not right for every patient or every grade of the condition. Your surgeon will tell you honestly if open surgery is the better choice for you.
Why patients choose laser treatment
What actually changes for you, day to day.
Smaller cuts and scars
One small cut at the navel instead of a long open cut, so the scar blends in.
Same-day discharge
Most patients go home within a few hours of the repair rather than staying overnight.
Back to work in days
Light routine usually resumes within three to five days instead of two to three weeks.
Mesh that holds
A mesh is placed behind the muscle, so the repair is stronger and the hernia comes back less often.
Lower infection risk
A small cut carries much less risk of a wound infection than one long open cut.
Senior surgeons
Every procedure is performed by a professor-level general or laparoscopic surgeon.
What happens on the day
Step by step, so there are no surprises.
-
Consultation and diagnosis
20 to 30 minutes- You meet the surgeon and describe the lump at the navel
- Examination confirms the hernia and checks that nothing is trapped
- The surgeon explains whether keyhole repair is suitable for you
-
Admission and preparation
1 to 2 hours- Registration at the hospital on the day of the procedure
- Blood pressure, pulse and routine blood tests are checked
- Consent is signed and an IV line is started
-
Anaesthesia
10 to 15 minutes- General anaesthesia, so you stay asleep throughout
- You feel nothing during the procedure
-
The laparoscopic procedure
30 to 90 minutes- Small cuts are made, one of them at the edge of the navel
- The hernia sac is pushed back into the abdomen
- A mesh is placed behind the muscle to close the gap
- The cuts are closed with fine stitches or glue
-
Recovery and observation
2 to 4 hours- You wake up in the recovery area and nurses check your vitals
- You start taking fluids once you are fully awake
-
Discharge and follow-up
Within 24 hours- Most patients go home the same day or the next morning
- Painkillers, no-heavy-lifting advice and early walking are given
- A follow-up visit is arranged and wound care advice is given
What will it cost?
The cost depends on the size of the hernia, whether the repair needs a mesh, the hospital you choose and the operating surgeon. Send your details and a care coordinator will call you with an exact figure. There is no obligation to book.
