Your journey, step by step.

Referral or inquiry

In Alberta, your family physician or specialist faxes a referral to 403-237-6646. Patients from outside Alberta or outside Canada, and patients choosing a privately funded option, are supported through our partnership with Gateway Surgical, who arrange everything from consultation to surgery. Call the clinic at 403-264-6720.

You can help by making sure your physician includes any previous operative reports and imaging, and by letting them know if you have had a hernia repaired before.

Records review and triage

Our coordination team confirms the referral and gathers any missing records. The surgeon reviews your history and imaging and triages the referral by urgency and complexity. If more imaging is needed before a consultation is useful, we arrange it first.

Our team will contact you once your referral has been reviewed. If your symptoms change in the meantime, contact your family physician.

Consultation

Your consultation takes place at the clinic at Holy Cross Surgical Services. Bring a list of your medications, any records you have, and your questions. Expect a detailed history, a physical examination, and a review of your imaging with you.

You will leave with a clear picture of what is going on, what your options are, including not operating, and what we recommend and why. A letter summarizing the plan goes to your referring physician.

Preparation

If surgery is planned, we identify anything that should be improved first: weight, nicotine, blood sugar, nutrition, fitness, medications, or wound and skin issues. For a simple hernia this may be minimal. For complex reconstruction it is often the most important phase. Read about prehabilitation.

You will also complete pre-operative assessment, which may include blood work, an ECG, and an anesthesia review.

Surgery

Your surgeon will confirm the approach (open, laparoscopic, or robotic-assisted) and the location of your procedure. Robotic-assisted procedures are performed at the South Health Campus. Most common hernia repairs are day surgery; complex reconstructions may involve a hospital stay.

You will receive specific instructions about fasting, medications, and arranging a ride home or support at home.

Recovery

Some discomfort and bruising is normal in the first days. Walking early, breathing exercises, and good pain control matter. Most patients return to light activity within days and to heavier lifting and exercise gradually over several weeks. After complex reconstruction, recovery takes longer and is more structured. Your surgeon will give you guidance for your operation.

Call the clinic if you have increasing pain, redness or drainage at a wound, fever, or a new bulge. Go to the emergency department or call 911 for severe pain, vomiting, or difficulty breathing.

Follow-up

Follow-up visits are arranged at the clinic. For patients travelling from outside the region, we coordinate follow-up with your local physician wherever possible so that you can recover close to home.