Umbilical Inflamation

Diseases of the Umbilicus

  • Inflammations
    • Omphalitis
    • Umbilical Granuloma
    • Umbilical Dermatitis
    • Pilonidal Sinus
  • Fistula
    • Faecal
      • Patent Vitellointestinal Duct
      • Neoplastic Ulceration from the Transverse Colon
      • Tuberculous Peritonitis
    • Urinary
      • Patent Urachus
    • Biliary
  • Neoplasms
    • Benign
      • Adenoma
      • Endometrioma
    • Malignant
      • Primary
      • Secondary  Stomach, Colon, Overy, Uterus, Breast
    • Hernia
    • Umbilical Calculus
    • Eversion
    • Caput Medusae

 Inflammation of the Umbilicus

  • Infection of the umbilical cord.
    • On 3rd or 4th day of life.
    • Staphylococci is commonest causative organism the other are streptococci, Esch. coli, Cl. tetani, etc
    • Prophylaxis is strict asepsis during severance of the cord and use of 0.1% chlorhexidine locally for a few days.


Omphalitis

  • In infection of the umbilical cord antibiotics may be needed.
  • Remove the crusts and give exit to pus.
  • Exuberant granulation tissue may requires a touch of silver nitrate.
  • In serious cases infection is liable to spread along the defunct hypogastric arteries or umbilical vein and can lead to following complications
    • Abscess of the abdominal wall below or above the navel needs drainage
    • Extensive ulceration of the abdominal wall due to synergic infection
    • Septicaemia
    • Jaundice in the newborn by stenosing intrahepatic cholangiolitis
    • Portal vein thrombosis and subsequent portal hypertension
    • Peritonitis  Caries bad prognosis
    • Umbilical hernia


 Umbilical Granuloma

  • Chronic infection of the umbilical cicatrix or non-healing of umbilical vessels can lead to out pouting of granulation tissue.
  • No certain means of distinguishing this condition from an adenoma which originate from vitellointestinal duct
  • Silver nitrate application may help
  • Surgical excision under local anaesthesia is recommended

Dermatitis of and around the umbilicus

  • Common at all times of life.
  • Fungus and parasitic infection are more difficult to eradicate.
  • May be associated with discharge from the umbilicus in cases of umbilical fistula or a sinus.


Pilonidal sinus

  • A sinus in umbilicus containing a sheaf of hairs
  • Treatment is excision

Leave a Reply