When the baby is born as a pre-embryo, the umbilicus has the structures of the yolk duct and the umbilical ureter, which communicate with the small intestine and the bladder, respectively, and they are endodermal tissues that are reddish mucous membranes. Normally, the yolk duct and umbilical ureter disappear after birth, and the umbilical fossa is left traumatized after the umbilical cord is detached and quickly turns into scar tissue. If the structures of the yolk duct and umbilical ureter remain at birth as they were during the early embryonic period, then an umbilical enterocutaneous fistula and umbilical ureterocutaneous fistula, that is, the flow of stool and urine from the umbilicus, can occur after birth and must be cured by surgery. If the yolk duct and umbilical ureter are partially closed and some mucous membrane remains, then after the umbilical cord is detached, bright red “red meat” called umbilical velvet will be seen in the umbilical fossa. Because the mucous membrane has the function of secreting mucus, a small amount of watery fluid is usually seen in the umbilical fossa. In your child’s case, the latter is the case and the diagnosis is umbilical velvet. Because the secreted fluid causes discomfort and skin infections in the umbilical fossa, it needs to be treated. There are two reliable treatments available; one is to chemically cauterize the umbilical antler with a topical silver nitrate solution, which destroys the mucous membrane and causes it to fall off and turn into scar tissue. This method is suitable for smaller umbilical vellus and does not require anesthesia and is less painful for the child. The other method is the surgical excision treatment you mentioned, which removes the mucous membrane and is suitable for larger umbilical vellus and requires anesthesia and surgical sutures; this is one of the smallest procedures in pediatric surgery and is very safe with definitive results.