3 Interesting Facts of Umbilical cord hernia
- Presents similar to a small omphalocele with a less than 4-cm defect covered by membrane during the neonatal period
- More prominent with Valsalva maneuver, crying, and coughing; herniated bowel is easily reducible
- More common in black and premature neonates
- Findings to help distinguish from omphalocele include the following:
- Umbilical cord hernia with herniation of bowel is rarely present at birth and usually becomes apparent in the first weeks of life; omphalocele is obvious at birth
- Umbilical cord hernia defect is covered by normal skin and subcutaneous tissue rather than omphalocele membrane (ie, amnion, Wharton jelly, peritoneum)
- Umbilical cord hernia defect contains only midgut and never other organs (eg, liver); omphalocele sac may contain other viscera
- Concomitant associated anomalies are common in neonates with small omphalocele and very rare in neonates with umbilical cord hernia
- Differentiate based on clinical findings
