Surgical planning display showing the abdominal wall

Hernia and abdominal wall surgery · Calgary

Expert care for hernias, from simple to complex.

The Core Hernia Clinic is a surgeon-led clinic for hernias and abdominal wall problems: from a first-time groin or belly-button hernia to recurrent, complex, and reconstructive cases that need a specialist plan.

Call 403-264-6720 How to be seen

Simple to complex Umbilical, inguinal, incisional, recurrent, parastomal, and high-complexity abdominal wall problems.

Fellowship-trained expertise Surgeons with focused training in complex abdominal wall reconstruction and minimally invasive surgery.

Robotic & minimally invasive Robotic-assisted and laparoscopic repair for smaller incisions and faster recovery, performed at the South Health Campus.

Prepared for surgery A structured prehabilitation approach so patients arrive at surgery ready to heal.

Start here

Two ways in.

I’m a patient

You have a hernia, or a problem after a previous repair.

Whether it is a new bulge, ongoing pain, a hernia that has come back, or a complicated abdominal wall, we will help you understand what is going on and what your options are.

Most Alberta patients are seen through a referral from their family physician or another specialist.
Patients living outside Alberta or outside Canada, and patients who choose a privately funded option, are supported through our partnership with Gateway Surgical, who arrange everything from consultation to surgery.

What to expect Call 403-264-6720

I’m referring a patient

Send us a referral by fax.

Fax referrals to 403-237-6646. We review every referral and triage based on clinical urgency and complexity.

The printable referral form lists exactly what we need, so your patient can be reviewed without delay.
Operative notes, imaging reports, and mesh history are especially helpful for recurrent and complex cases.

Referral form Referral details

What we treat

Abdominal wall problems deserve focused attention.

Hernia care is not one-size-fits-all. A first-time groin or belly-button hernia needs an efficient, careful assessment and a repair built to last.

A hernia that has come back, one that has developed beside a stoma, or an abdominal wall affected by previous surgery, infection, or wounds needs a different kind of plan: one built around anatomy, tissue quality, risk, and long-term function. The Core Hernia Clinic is built for that whole spectrum.

01 Common hernias

Umbilical, inguinal, epigastric, and straightforward ventral hernias.

02 Core strength

Diastasis recti, abdominal wall function, and symptoms related to core weakness.

03 Complex reconstruction

Recurrent, off-midline, large incisional, and loss-of-domain hernias.

04 Parastomal hernias

Assessment and repair planning for hernias around stoma sites.

05 Fistulas and wounds

Complex wounds and entero-cutaneous fistulas that need a staged strategy.

Robotic & minimally invasive repair

Smaller incisions. Precise repair. Faster return to normal life.

Many hernia repairs are performed with robotic-assisted or laparoscopic techniques, working through small incisions with magnified 3D vision and fully articulating instruments. For the right patient this means less pain, fewer wound complications, and a quicker recovery. Robotic-assisted procedures are performed at the South Health Campus.

Learn about our techniques

Our approach

Thorough assessment, honest options, durable results.

One complete picture

Your history, previous operative reports, imaging, wound and stoma history, symptoms, goals, and risk factors are brought together into a single plan.

Reconstruction-focused thinking

Complex problems are planned around function, tissue quality, defect anatomy, and whether a staged approach will give the safest, most durable result.

Prepared, not rushed

When a patient’s risk can be lowered before surgery through weight, nutrition, smoking cessation, or medical optimization, we take that time. About prehabilitation

Our surgeons

Fellowship-trained, focused on the abdominal wall.

Dr. Patrick C. Vallance, MD MBA FRCSC

General surgeon with fellowship training in Complex Abdominal Wall Reconstruction (University of Texas, Houston). Focused on hernia surgery, robotic and minimally invasive surgery, and reconstruction of recurrent, infected-mesh, loss-of-domain, and parastomal defects.

Dr. Warren Sun, MD MSc FRCSC

Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine. Minimally invasive general surgeon at the South Health Campus with a clinical focus on minimally invasive hernia repair and complex abdominal wall reconstruction.

Meet the whole team

Access

How patients are seen.

Referral through the public system

Most patients in Alberta are seen through a referral from their family physician or another specialist, with care provided through the public health system. Ask your physician to fax a referral to 403-237-6646. Once we receive it, our team will contact you.

Privately funded consultation

For patients living outside Alberta or outside Canada, and for patients who choose a privately funded option, The Core Hernia Clinic partners with Gateway Surgical. Gateway arranges and handles every aspect of the process, from a timely consultation through to surgery, with care provided by the surgeons of The Core Hernia Clinic. Call the clinic and we will connect you.

Get in touch

Call the clinic at 403-264-6720, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Contact details