[Surgical treatment of umbilical hernia in children. Our experience].
OBJECTIVE
To identify the main parameters which, differently correlated, indicate in which case, age and modality umbilical hernia in children should be surgically repaired.


METHODS
The authors report personal experience on 319 children with umbilical hernia observed in the last 7 years. In 72 cases, on the basis of the evaluation of some parameters, a surgical correction was performed with the technique described.


RESULTS
All the procedures were performed in "day surgery". There were no early complications, neither anesthetic nor surgical. All children showed a good recovery of all functions (feeding, intestinal canalization, walking about) and activities. No middle and long-term complications were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Umbilical hernia needs a surgical repair only in a few cases and after a careful evaluation of some parameters (age, sex, kind of hernia, size and consistency of the hernial porta, protrusion and expansion). The surgical procedure should guarantee either the safe and prompt repair or the cosmetic result; the use of some devices (anesthetic and surgical) allow to obtain excellent results.
Burattini
M F
MF
Sezione di Chirurgia Generale e Oncologica, Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche e Medico legali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia. bsensi@unipg.it
Bussotti
C
C
Scalercio
V
V
Moriconi
E
E
Ricci
E
E
Avenia
N
N
Cristofani
R
R
D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006554:Hernia, Umbilical / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D016896:Treatment Outcome