Lump in the abdomen

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Infant abdominal hernia (gastroschisis)

Overview

Treatment

Lump in the abdomen

Definition:

A lump in the abdomen is a soft bulge of tissue or a small, localized swelling on the abdomen. See also abdominal mass (a solid block of tissue that can be felt inside the abdomen).

Alternative Names:

Abdominal hernia; Hernia - abdominal; Abdominal wall defects

Considerations:

Most often, a lump in the abdomen is caused by a hernia. An abdominal hernia occurs when there is an area where the muscles are weak, and this allows the internal organs to bulge through the abdominal wall.

Common Causes:

A common type of hernia is an umbilical hernia (located around the belly button). This is caused by failure of the muscular ring around the navel to close completely. Umbilical hernias are more common in babies with a low birth weight, including premature babies. See also gastroschisis.

Incisions (from a previous surgery, for example) can leave the muscles weak in an area, and a hernia can form at the incision site. Incisional hernias may not appear until after straining, heavy lifting, or a prolonged period of coughing.

Review Date: 8/11/2005
Reviewed By: Joseph P. Hart, M.D., Marco Polo Traveling Fellow c/o Department of Vascular Surgery, A. Z. St. Blasius Hospital (Belgium). Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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