TABLE SALT FOR TREATMENT OF UMBILICAL GRANULOMA IN INFANTS: A REPORT ON TWO CASES

Abstract

Umbilical granulomas are among the most common neonatal umbilical
abnormalities, often triggering concern in parents despite their benign
nature. They result from excess granulation tissue that fails to epithelialize
properly after the umbilical cord falls off. Standard treatments such as silver
nitrate cauterization, while effective, may not always be accessible or
acceptable due to associated risks, costs, or parental concerns. This report
presents two cases of infants with persistent umbilical granulomas that
responded successfully to table salt application following unsuccessful or
impractical conventional interventions. The treatment led to rapid lesion
resolution within a few days, without adverse effects. Differential diagnoses
such as umbilical polyps and patent urachus were clinically ruled out. This
case report underscores table salt as a feasible and cost-effective therapeutic option, especially in resource-constrained environments. Nevertheless, findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the small sample size.