Inflammation of the belly button
and Sabine Schrör, medical journalist Updated onClemens Gödel is a freelancer for the medical team.
More about the expertsSabine Schrör is a freelance writer for the medical team. She studied business administration and public relations in Cologne. As a freelance editor, she has been at home in a wide variety of industries for more than 15 years. Health is one of her favorite subjects.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.The inflammation of the navel (omphalitis) is usually a bacterial infection. It most commonly affects newborns. A navel infection must be treated with antibiotics, otherwise serious complications can occur. Therefore, contact a doctor directly if there are signs of inflammation in the navel. Read more about symptoms, diagnosis and therapy of navel inflammation here!
ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. P38
Belly button inflammation: description
Belly button inflammation mostly occurs in newborns on the umbilicus, umbilical stump and surrounding tissue. The main culprits are bacteria that are transmitted during or after birth.
Umbilical infections can be the source of serious complications if the bacteria enter tissues and blood through the umbilicus. In developing countries, inflammation of the belly button is therefore a major contributor to the high level of newborn mortality. In the industrialized countries, on the other hand, it affects less than one percent of newborns and then only rarely leads to death.
The navel and the umbilical cord
During pregnancy, the child is supplied with nutrients and oxygen via the belly button. The umbilical cord connects the child with the placenta. It should be cut through in a sterile manner after birth, as the vessels running in it can serve as an entry point for infections.
After the umbilical cord has been cut, the umbilical cord dries up, turns dark blue and falls off after five to 15 days of life. The body's own immune cells and proteins are activated, which separate the navel from the umbilical cord stump. The inflammatory reactions that occur in this way are not, however, bacterial umbilical inflammation.
Belly button infection: symptoms
The first symptoms appear three days to three weeks after infection (incubation period). The earlier in the life of a newborn baby, the more dangerous it is, the more dangerous it is.
Typical symptoms: secretion - reddening - swelling
Typically, a greasy, purulent and strongly smelling secretion emerges from the navel when the navel is inflamed. The skin around the navel is red, swollen and very sensitive to the touch. If the infection spreads, small-area and punctiform hemorrhages in the skin, blisters and a crackling noise also occur.
Occasionally, the symptoms of inflammation of the belly button are very mild.
There is a risk of spreading the pathogen!
If the immune system of the newborn is particularly weakened or if the course of the disease is particularly difficult, blood poisoning (sepsis) can develop from inflammation of the navel. This is indicated by symptoms such as fever or hypothermia, lethargy, poor drinking, drop in blood pressure, increase in heart rate, breathing disorders, strong immune system and overstretching of the abdomen.
If the navel is inflamed, the surrounding (muscle) tissue can die. The so-called necrotic fasciitis, which is usually difficult to progress, is particularly dangerous. In this severe form of infection, the skin, subcutaneous tissue and even the underlying fascia die, which as components of the connective tissue envelop and stabilize all organs, muscles and other body units.
The inflammation of the belly button can also spread to the blood vessels around the umbilical region, the peritoneum, and the liver. In rare cases, abscesses form in the liver.
Belly button inflammation: causes and risk factors
Bacteria usually cause inflammation of the belly button. Newborns in particular are particularly susceptible to this. They lack sufficient defenses because their immune system has not yet come into contact with bacteria and thus has not yet been able to build up a powerful defense against them.
The reason: Before the birth, the skin around which the amniotic fluid washes is free of bacteria. The skin of the newborn is only colonized with bacteria for the first time in the course of the birth.
To prevent umbilical inflammation, hygiene - especially umbilical detachment with sterile tools - plays an important role. Because the umbilical region offers bacteria a very good habitat. If the bacteria get into the umbilical vessels, the infection can spread through the blood - the result is blood poisoning.
Risk factors
A low birth weight, premature birth, malformations of the umbilical region, complications during childbirth and the insertion of an umbilical catheter increase the risk of navel inflammation. Belly button infections are also more common in congenital diseases of the immune system.
Belly button inflammation: examinations and diagnosis
Even when looking at the navel, the doctor usually recognizes a navel infection by its typical appearance. In order to precisely determine the responsible pathogen, the doctor takes a smear on the navel with a sterile swab. A bacterial culture is then created with it in the laboratory.
A blood sample from the patient will also be examined in the laboratory for signs of inflammation and evidence of possible blood poisoning.
Imaging procedures
The doctor can use ultrasound to examine the area around the navel and abdomen. If the bacteria are suspected of spreading through the blood, computed tomography of the abdomen should be performed.
If the course is severe, a more detailed diagnosis must follow, depending on the complication.
Belly button infection: treatment
An infection of the belly button needs to be treated immediately. You should also be closely monitored by a doctor so that any complications can be recognized at an early stage. Severe courses should always be supervised by intensive care medicine.
Medication
The treatment of inflammation of the navel is carried out with a suitable antibiotic in an age-appropriate dose.
In the early stages it is sometimes sufficient to use antibiotic and antiseptic ointments under close supervision. On the other hand, the doctor always treats pronounced inflammation of the navel with an antibiotic that affects the entire organism (internal use).
Regulation of the fluid balance alleviates the symptoms. If necessary, the child is cared for as an inpatient in the hospital.
surgery
If tissue dies, abscesses form, and the infection progresses, surgery is required. Such an intervention can be life-saving!
Belly button inflammation: disease course and prognosis
Belly button inflammation is basically a dangerous disease that requires medical treatment. In severe cases, the inflammation can spread and lead to life-threatening complications. Antibiotic-resistant germs in particular are difficult to treat. Overall, the prognosis for navel infection is very different. In countries with well-educated health systems, the prognosis with treatment is very good.
Belly button inflammation: prevention
In hospitals, strict compliance with hygiene regulations protects against umbilical infection. Most of the time, the triggering germs are transmitted through the hands of the contact person. Hand washing and hand disinfection is therefore mandatory before contact with the newborn. You should pay particular attention to hygiene when breastfeeding.
Proper navel care is also important: the newborn should be carefully cleaned with soap and water and the navel should be kept as dry as possible. The umbilical stump is covered with a sterile compress to protect it, which should not get damp - for example with urine. If the navel falls off, the cover is usually no longer necessary.
Studies also show that antiseptic treatment of the umbilical stump with chlorhexidine can prevent navel infections. .
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