<unk>  is a congenital malformation, especially common in infants of African descent. However, it can be an acquired condition as well. In 1855, Dr. Henry Porter was the first to publish a case of<unk>  with rupture. In 1876, Dr. MG Oxley published a case of<unk>  operation. The pathophysiology of<unk>  involves the weakness of abdominal fascia or failure to fully form the fascia which may lead to an<unk>  in the newborn. During the fifth to tenth weeks of gestation, the intestinal tract undergoes rapid growth with protrusion of the abdominal content outside the abdominal cavity. This is followed by a gradual re-entry of the abdominal cavity and then the narrowing of the<unk>  ring which completes the process of abdominal wall formation.<unk>  may be caused by congenital malformation of the navel or it can be acquired due to increased intra-abdominal pressure caused by obesity, lifting, coughing, or multiple pregnancies. It should be differentiated from epigastric<unk> , Spigelian<unk> , and incisional<unk> . The prevalence of<unk>  is approximately 0.015 to 0.023 per 100,000 of newborns affected in USA. It affects males and females equally. Common risk factors in the development of<unk>  includes infants, pregnancy, African American, mucopolysaccharide storage diseases, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, and down syndrome.<unk> s are usually asymptomatic and resolve on their own. Common complications of<unk>  include incarceration, strangulation, skin color changes, and ascites.<unk>  presents with a soft swelling over the belly button that often bulges when the baby sits up, cries, or strains. The bulge may be flat when the infant lies on the back and is quiet. Treatment is by the size of the defect, the age of the patient, and the cosmetic appearance of the abdomen. Most defects close spontaneously by the age of two years. Physical examination of patients with<unk>  is usually remarkable for a protruding<unk>  mass examined in the standing and supine positions to determine the size of a<unk>  +/- valsalva maneuver. There are no ultrasound findings associated with<unk> . However, an ultrasound may be helpful in the diagnosis of complications of<unk> , which include incarceration, strangulation, and size of the<unk> .<unk>  surgery is indicated when<unk>  is larger than 2cm, “elephant’s trunk” appearance, does not spontaneously close by 5 to 6 years of age, symptomatic, strangulation, or increases in size after the age of 1 to 2 years. Surgical repair for an uncomplicated<unk>  is done under general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. Mesh implantation include bridging the defect and placing a preperitoneal mesh with suture repair. Recurrence is seen in patients with elevated intra-abdominal pressures. Laparoscopic technique is reserved for large defects or recurrent<unk> s.
Umbilical hernia
Omphalocele
Spigelian hernia
Persistent cloaca
Enterocele
Hiatus hernia
Internal hernia
Inguinal hernia