Contents
The white crescent is the place where hernias and stretch marks appear most often. While hernias most often arise spontaneously, stretch marks usually appear as a result of too rapid weight gain, which mainly occurs during pregnancy. Occasionally, these anomalies resolve on their own. However, hernias often require surgery, and stretch marks can last a lifetime.
Many people do not even know the term white border, let alone its location, and yet this is the place where the muscles on the abdomen (left and right muscles) connect. The point of contact of both muscles is the place where the abdominal walls are the weakest, which is why hernias and stretch marks occur most often here.
White crescent – anatomy
The white line is the place where the rectus abdominals meet and connect. The white line consists of a band of connective tissue, which is a specific extension of the abdominal sheaths of the left and right muscles. This strand runs exactly in the middle of the abdomen from the xiphoid process of the sternum to the symphysis pubis. Kresa’s task is to stabilize the abdominal straight muscles and transfer large forces resulting from the action of oblique muscles, which affects its lateral stretching. The connective tissue strand in question must also withstand the stress exerted by its internal organs and the pressure that arises during the operation of the so-called abdominal press. Taking into account the fact that, additionally, in the light of the white line there is a navel which weakens the entire structure of the band, the border has to do a tremendous job. No wonder then that the tension and stresses of the abdominal wall are sometimes too great and in the weakest area of the abdominal walls, hernias and stretch marks appear near the border.
White line – divergence
White crescent can cause a lot of problems. One of them is the white border divide, also known as the stretch mark. This condition occurs most often during pregnancy, but it also happens in children with malformations, in people with ascites or unnatural enlargement of internal organs.
Pregnancy is a special period in a woman’s life as there are many physiological changes. The organs in the abdomen are enlarged, and all this is related to the enlargement of the uterus. All this is the basis of the increase in pressure in the abdominal cavity and the stretching of the abdominal walls. All these phenomena are exacerbated in cases of twin or multiple pregnancies and in women who are pregnant again. The birthing action increases the pressure inside the abdomen even more and causes a significant increase in the forces acting on the abdominal walls, and thus on the white border. In this situation, it happens that the rectus abdominis muscles lengthen along with the line, which is made of connective tissue, becomes thinner and there is a real risk of breaking its continuity.
During pregnancy, the likelihood of a discontinuation of the white line increases significantly also due to hormonal changes in the woman’s body. Increased levels of certain substances in the body make connective tissue very susceptible to stretching. This, of course, is indispensable, as it greatly facilitates the termination of pregnancy and the delivery itself, ensuring considerable flexibility and the possibility of increasing the symphysis gap. However, on the other hand, it sometimes leads to permanent changes in the structure of the white border.
White crescent – hernia
The hernia most often appears around the navel or slightly below it. This is because the lower part of the white line is subject to much greater forces, so the connective tissue forming the line is more often weakened here. Another factor contributing to the formation of a hernia at this point is that there are mobile intestines there, and they can very efficiently squeeze into the hernial sac.
It is comforting that the white line hernia usually does not cause any major complications, such as intestinal necrosis or intestinal obstruction. The hernia bag itself has a fairly wide opening and it is easy to move the structures inside it back into the abdominal cavity. The exception is the umbilical hernia, which usually has a narrow connective tissue ring that often becomes blocked.
White crescent – surgery
If the separation of the white abdomen is large and permanent, or if there are hernias that interfere with daily functioning, the doctor may decide to perform the procedure. The operation consists in sewing the opening that has formed or covering the opening with a special mesh. The second solution is used in cases where, due to the excessive tension of the abdominal integuments, it is no longer possible to bring both parts closer to each other.
After the procedure, a long rehabilitation is required, which will allow for full regeneration of the abdominal integuments, which must obtain almost their original strength. Patients cannot do physical work, play most sports and carry too heavy loads.