Medical Term for Inside the Bellybutton
The medical term for the inside of the bellybutton is "umbilicus" or "umbilical region."
Anatomical Terminology
The umbilicus itself refers to the entire belly button structure, both the external visible portion and the internal anatomical area. When referring specifically to the interior or depth of the belly button, the term remains "umbilicus" or can be described as the "umbilical depression" or "umbilical fossa."
Key Anatomical Points
The umbilicus serves as an important anatomical landmark:
- Surface anatomy: It corresponds to the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta 1
- Location: Positioned on the anterior abdominal wall at the midline
- Embryological significance: Contains remnants of fetal structures including the umbilical vessels, urachus, and omphalomesenteric duct 2, 3
Clinical Context
In medical documentation and clinical practice:
- The term "periumbilical" refers to the area around the umbilicus
- "Paraumbilical" describes structures adjacent to the umbilicus 1
- The "umbilical ring" refers to the fascial opening through which the umbilical cord passed 3
Internal Structures
After birth, the umbilical vessels obliterate and form ligaments within the body 2:
- The umbilical vein becomes the ligamentum teres hepaticum
- The umbilical arteries become the median umbilical ligaments
- These structures provide blood supply to the umbilical region 4
There is no separate specific term for "inside" versus "outside" the umbilicus—the entire structure is referred to as the umbilicus in medical terminology.