Umbilical hernia repair (umbilical herniorrhaphy)

What is umbilical hernia repair?

An umbilical hernia is a bulge at the belly button caused by fatty tissue or part of the bowel pushing through a weak spot in the tummy wall. A paraumbilical hernia is the same problem just beside the belly button. Both are common in adults.

Umbilical hernia repair is an operation to push the bulge back inside and close the gap in the muscle. For all but the smallest hernias, surgeons often place a small piece of mesh to strengthen the area and lower the chance of it coming back.

In adults, an umbilical hernia does not usually get better on its own, so repair is often advised if it causes symptoms, is getting bigger, or there is concern about bowel becoming trapped. Small, usually not painful hernias are sometimes watched rather than operated on.

Surgery treats this hernia. It does not stop you developing another hernia, and the hernia can come back, especially if it is large or the wound becomes infected.

Types & techniques

There isn't one single operation. The right approach depends on you — which is something to discuss with your surgeon.

Stitch-only versus mesh repair

Mesh lowers the chance of the hernia coming back but adds small mesh-related risks. The right choice depends on the size of the hernia and your circumstances.

Preparing for your surgery

• See the operating surgeon, who will examine the lump and confirm the diagnosis.
• Tell the team about all medicines, especially blood thinners, and any health conditions such as liver disease.
• Stop smoking if you can, as it slows healing and raises the risk of the hernia returning.
• Follow fasting instructions if you are having a general anaesthetic.
• Arrange a lift home and someone to stay with you for the first 24 hours.
• Plan time off work and help at home, particularly if your job involves lifting.
• Ask what to do if the lump becomes painful or hard before your operation date.

What happens

On the day, you will meet the surgeon and anaesthetist to confirm the plan and consent. Most repairs are done under general anaesthetic, although small hernias can sometimes be repaired under local anaesthetic.

In an open repair, the surgeon makes a small cut near the belly button, pushes the contents back inside, and closes the gap with stitches, often adding a small piece of mesh. In a keyhole repair, small cuts are used with a camera to place mesh from inside the tummy.

The operation usually takes about 20 to 60 minutes depending on the size of the hernia. Most people go home the same day once they are awake, comfortable and able to pass urine.

Is this operation right for me?

A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.

Before you decide

Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.

Anaesthetic choices

The safest option depends on the operation, your health, the facility and your surgeon/anaesthetist. Ask what is planned and why.

The biggest factors are the size of the hernia and your general health. Larger hernias and obesity raise the chance of the hernia coming back and of wound problems. Liver disease with fluid in the tummy needs careful planning because it raises the risk. Ask your surgeon whether mesh will be used, your personal chance of recurrence, and how any other conditions affect your risk.

Published figures to discuss

Outcomes depend mainly on the size of the hernia, whether mesh is used, and your general health. The figures below are broad ranges from surgical studies and reviews, not promises for any individual. Recurrence is reported over varying follow-up periods, so longer follow-up tends to show higher figures.

These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.

Recovery — what to expect, and when

Most people recover from umbilical hernia repair over about four to six weeks, with the first week or two being the most uncomfortable.

• Bruising and swelling around the belly button
• A firm ridge or small lump along the healing wound that softens over weeks
• Pulling or tightness when you cough, sneeze or sit up
• Tiredness for a week or two, especially after a general anaesthetic

Aftercare

• Take regular pain relief as advised for the first few days.
• Keep the wound clean and dry, and follow advice on dressings and showering.
• Support your tummy with a hand when you cough or sneeze in the first days.
• Build up walking gently, but avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise early on.
• Eat well, stay hydrated and avoid constipation and straining.
• Do not drive until you can do an emergency stop comfortably and your team agrees.
• Keep any follow-up appointments and save the clinic's contact number.

• Pain relief bought or prescribed
• Loose clothing that does not press on the belly button
• Lift home and someone to stay overnight arranged
• Time off work booked
• Help with shopping, children or pets in the first week
• Clinic and out-of-hours contact numbers saved

Scars and how they heal

An open repair leaves a small scar near the belly button, which usually fades over months. Keyhole repair leaves several small scars. Scars can be firm or raised at first; sun protection helps them settle. Some numbness near the scar is common and usually improves.

⚠ Get urgent help if…

• Sudden severe tummy pain with a hard, very tender lump that will not push back
• Being sick, a swollen tummy, or not being able to pass wind or open your bowels
• A high temperature, feeling shivery or generally very unwell
• Increasing redness, heat, swelling or discharge from the wound
• A red, hot, swollen or painful calf, or sudden breathlessness or chest pain
• Bleeding that soaks through dressings and does not stop

Who to contact: your surgeon or clinic first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.

General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your surgeon gives you.

Results & realistic expectations

A successful repair removes the lump and lowers the risk of trapped bowel, and most people return to normal activity within four to six weeks. Mesh repair lowers, but does not remove, the chance the hernia comes back.

Surgery treats this hernia but cannot guarantee you will never get another. Larger hernias, obesity, wound infection and heavy straining all make a return more likely, so it is worth asking your surgeon what to expect for you.

Most mesh repairs are durable and last for many years. Stitch-only repairs of larger hernias have a higher chance of coming back. Keeping a healthy weight, not smoking, and treating constipation or a chronic cough can help protect the repair over time.

Combining with other procedures

Sometimes an umbilical hernia is found and repaired during another planned tummy operation. If this is suggested, ask why it is being combined and what it adds to your recovery, so you can make an informed choice.

Follow-up & long-term care

Many people are reviewed once after surgery to check healing, or are given clear advice on what to expect and when to seek help. Report any pain, swelling or wound problems promptly. If you have liver disease or other conditions, follow-up may be closer.

Revision and secondary surgery reality

• If the hernia recurs, a further repair may be needed, often with mesh if not used before.
• A wound seroma or haematoma usually settles on its own but is sometimes drained.
• Mesh infection, though uncommon, can occasionally need the mesh removed and a further operation.
• Larger and recurrent hernias may need specialist abdominal wall surgery.

Ask your surgeon for their own revision rate, what counts as a revision, and what is included in the written aftercare policy.

What good aftercare looks like

• Clear written warning signs for trapped bowel, wound infection and blood clots, with a named contact route.
• Advice on pain relief, wound care, returning to driving and work, and avoiding heavy lifting early on.
• A plan for follow-up or clear guidance on when to seek review.
• Honest discussion of recurrence risk and what to do if a lump returns.

What affects the cost

Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:

• The size of the hernia and the complexity of the repair
• Whether the repair is open or keyhole
• Surgeon and anaesthetist fees
• Theatre and facility costs
• Whether mesh is used and the type of mesh
• Tests before surgery and follow-up appointments

• The surgeon's and anaesthetist's fees
• Theatre and facility costs
• Mesh or other materials used
• Anaesthetic type included
• Follow-up appointments and wound checks
• The cancellation policy
• What happens, and who pays, if there is a complication or the hernia comes back

On the NHS? Umbilical hernia repair is available on the NHS when the hernia causes symptoms or carries risk; some areas have criteria for small usually not painful hernias, and private care is used for timing, choice of surgeon or self-pay.

You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.

Consent traps and marketing red flags

These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.

Choosing a surgeon safely

• Check your surgeon is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
• Make sure they practise at a CQC-registered location, and look for membership of bodies like BAAPS or BAPRAS.
• You're entitled to a two-stage consent process with time to reflect (a cooling-off period). The surgeon who will operate must consent you — not a salesperson.
• Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers, discounts or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
• You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.

How Vuemedics verifies every consultant →

Take this to your consultation. A good surgeon will welcome every one of these.

• Given the size of my hernia, do you recommend stitches or mesh, and why?
• Is watchful waiting a reasonable option for me?
• What is my personal chance of the hernia coming back?
• How do my other health conditions affect my risk?
• When can I safely return to my type of work and to driving?
• What should I do if the lump becomes painful or hard before surgery?
• Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
• Will you be the surgeon who carries out my operation, and who looks after me afterwards?
• What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
• What does a realistic result look like — and what can this operation not achieve?
• What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
• Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
• What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?

Find a verified surgeon for umbilical hernia repair

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How we made this page

Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →

Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.

Sources & standards: NHS — Umbilical hernia NHS — Umbilical hernia repair: how it's performed British Hernia Society — umbilical and epigastric hernia guidelines Mesh versus suture for umbilical hernia: systematic review — PMC NIHR Evidence — mesh reduces recurrence in small umbilical hernias Current trends in hernia surgery in NHS England — Ann R Coll Surg Engl

Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.

Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.