Yellow water coming out of belly button

Yellow fluid coming out of the belly button is a very common symptom and one of the main symptoms of omphalitis. It is usually caused by inflammation or infection of the belly button. Omphalitis is extremely harmful to human health. If it is not treated in time, it will not only cause physical pain to people, but also cause problems with the skin in the affected area. Below, we will introduce the relevant knowledge about omphalitis in detail.

1. Causes

1. Pathogenic bacteria

Staphylococcus aureus is the most common, followed by Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and hemolytic Streptococcus. It is reported that the main pathogens of community-acquired infections are Gram-positive cocci (67.2%), while in cases of hospital-acquired infections, Gram-negative bacilli are the main pathogens (56.8%).

2. Causes of infection

(1) Acute omphalitis ① Neonatal omphalitis The main causes of neonatal umbilical cord infection include contamination during cord ligation after birth or contamination of the dressing with feces or urine before or after the umbilical cord falls off; premature rupture of the amniotic membrane and contamination of the umbilical cord before birth; contamination of the umbilical cord by bacteria in the birth canal during delivery; contamination by the outflow of urachal fistula or vitelline duct fistula; and secondary infection of the umbilical cord or umbilical sinus. ② Omphalitis in adults: The umbilical fossa is deep and the skin on the bottom is wrinkled, where dirt and sebum are retained, making it difficult to clean the area. If the area is accidentally scratched during degreasing, bacteria may invade and cause infection.

(2) Chronic omphalitis: Acute omphalitis that is not cured may develop into chronic omphalitis and umbilical granuloma; premature detachment of the umbilical cord may leave an unhealed wound; long-term chronic irritation caused by foreign matter (such as talcum powder) in the umbilical fossa may cause omphalitis to persist and form umbilical granuloma.

II. Treatment

1. Acute phase management

(1) Treatment of mild cases: Remove local scabs and use 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and 75% ethanol for cleaning at any time; adults can use hot saline compresses; keep the navel dry.

(2) Abscess treatment: When the abscess is not localized, golden ointment can be applied around the navel or physical therapy can be performed to limit the infection, promote the formation of abscesses and rupture them outwards. After an abscess is formed, it should be incised and drained.

(3) Treatment of systemic infection: Patients with a large amount of pus, or complicated by peritonitis and sepsis should be given adequate doses of broad-spectrum antibiotics such as penicillin, and effective antibiotics should be selected based on the results of bacteriological examination.

(4) Supportive therapy: When systemic infection occurs, attention should be paid to replenishing water and electrolytes. In order to enhance the body's immunity, fresh whole blood, plasma or albumin can be appropriately given.

2. Chronic phase treatment

Small granulation wounds can be cauterized with 10% silver nitrate and then coated with antibiotic ointment. Large granulation wounds can be surgically excised or electrocauterized to remove the granulation tissue. Keep the navel clean and dry to help it heal. It is not advisable to use talcum powder on wounds with secretions to avoid stimulating granulation tissue proliferation.

3. Prevention

The key is to strictly follow aseptic techniques when cutting the umbilical cord, and both the instruments used to cut the umbilical cord and the cord ligation thread must be strictly disinfected. In case of emergency, if the disinfection is not strict during delivery, the umbilical cord should be re-cut and the umbilical cord stump should be strictly disinfected within a few hours.

Before and after the umbilical stump falls off, change diapers frequently and keep the navel clean and dry. You can apply 75% medical alcohol to the umbilical stump and the surrounding area 2 to 3 times a day. If a scab is formed, you should lift up the scab when applying alcohol and apply it from the inside to the outside to truly achieve the disinfection effect.

Also, be careful not to use colored drugs such as gentian violet and mercurochrome, because the color of the drugs can affect the observation of the navel; also do not use powdered drugs such as pine pollen and talcum powder, because the stimulation of powdered foreign bodies can cause chronic inflammation of the navel and form granulomas, which are difficult to heal.

If you find symptoms of omphalitis such as redness, swelling, or purulent secretions in the navel, you should go to the hospital for treatment immediately.