Anatom3DUmbilicus (navel)
Umbilicus · Pupek
Fascia & connective tissue
Looks like
The navel: a scar in the midline of the belly wall where the umbilical cord entered, at about the level of the 3rd–4th lumbar vertebra. Its skin is the dermatome of the 10th thoracic nerve.
What it does
Before birth the umbilical vessels passed through it; after birth it closes and the vessels become ligaments inside the belly.
Keeping it well
Umbilical hernias are common in babies and most close by age 4–5; in adults they do not close and may need repair. Pain that begins around it and moves to the lower right is typical of appendicitis. A lump here can be a spread cancer (Sister Mary Joseph nodule). It is the usual entry point for keyhole surgery.