Surgery MCQ Answer 60

Answer: b

An umbilical hernia in a child is usually considered to be congenital. Only about 10% of umbilical hernias in adults are thought to be the result of a congenital defect carried into adulthood. Most adult umbilical hernias are acquired and are called paraumbilical hernias. The paraumbilical hernia typically occurs in a multiparous female. Other patients with increased intraabdominal pressure, particularly with concomitant chronic abdominal distension as from ascites, are also at increased risk for the development of paraumbilical hernias. Umbilical and paraumbilical hernias vary from small to extremely large. Incarceration is frequent in the large hernias, which typically have a small neck.

Indications for umbilical hernia repair in adults include symptoms, incarceration, large hernia relative to the neck, and trophic changes in the overlying skin. Among adults with associated ascites, repair is advocated to avoid potentially serious complications. The presence of discoloration or ulceration of overlying skin or a rapid increase in size of the hernia herald impending rupture. Spontaneous rupture of the hernia in these patients can be catastrophic and is frequently associated with mortality rates approaching 30%. By comparison, elective umbilical hernia repair can be performed safely in patients with ascites with acceptable morbidity and mortality.

Category: Surgery MCQs