Clinical outcomes of umbilical hernia in patients with liver cirrhosis: A retrospective comparative analysis of management strategies.

Background: Managing umbilical hernia in cirrhotic patients is complex. No prior national studies have examined the outcomes associated with treatment approaches for this demographic. Objectives: To evaluate the results of cirrhotic patients with umbilical hernia treated conservatively compared to those who underwent elective surgical hernia repair. Methodology: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted over 5 years period from January 2017 to December 2022 at King Abdulaziz Medical City and King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A comparison was conducted between those who underwent elective umbilical hernia repair and those treated conservatively. A chi-square test was used for categorical variables, while t-test and analysis of variance were used for numerical and categorical variables. Results: The study included 70 patients, out of which 54 patients initially planned for conservative treatment, and 21 eventually underwent emergent umbilical hernia repair. In the elective surgery group, 11 (68.8%) had a Child A score, whereas the emergency group had 9 patients (42.9%) with a Child B score and 10 patients (47.6%) with a Child C score ( Conclusion: Expectant management of cirrhotic patients with umbilical hernia and ascites often results in a higher complication rate, frequently leading to emergency surgery, which is associated with significant morbidity. In contrast, elective hernia repair typically results in fewer complications and is therefore recommended.