Edmonton team leads nation in complex hernia surgeries

Dr. Ram Anantha, general surgeon and program lead for CHARGE, left, performs a complex abdominal reconstruction on a patient with an enlarged incisional hernia. Photo by Sharman Hnatiuk.

Collaborative approach brings relief, better outcomes for Albertans

Story & photos by Sharman Hnatiuk | Video by Evan Isbister

EDMONTON — Corry Coyne of Wetaskiwin would have gladly remortgaged her home and paid for care abroad if it meant someone could heal the chronic pain and discomfort she felt every day, but thankfully, she found the expert care she needed much closer to home.

Life took a painful turn for Coyne in 2023 when she developed an incisional hernia at her surgical site six weeks after having a pre-cancerous surgical resection of her pancreas. These types of hernias can be large and unsightly, severely impair physical function and activity, cause abdominal wall discomfort and dysfunction and, in some cases, lead to serious complications such as bowel obstruction, sepsis or death.

“Essentially, the muscles in my abdominal wall pulled apart at the site of my incision, allowing part of my abdomen to bulge outward,” says Coyne. “It wasn’t just a basketball-sized lump hanging out. Standing, walking, getting out of bed, lifting, and even coughing became painful and difficult because I no longer had the strength and support of a normal abdominal wall.”

“I managed to continue to work, but I required strong pain medication to make it through the day. My quality of life diminished very quickly, and even finding a pair of pants to wear that wouldn’t cause more pain was a challenge."

Hope came when Coyne was referred to CHARGE — the Complex Hernia and Abdominal Reconstruction Group of Edmonton (CHARGE) — Canada’s first comprehensive multidisciplinary hernia program, which has to date performed more than 800 surgeries.

The CHARGE surgical team in Edmonton focuses on the introduction of specialized surgical techniques, advanced repair materials, and innovative devices to help advance the field of hernia surgery in Canada. CHARGE surgeries are performed at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, University of Alberta Hospital and Sturgeon Community Hospital.

The CHARGE program’s multidisciplinary team helped Coyne prepare for surgery with a weight-loss and strength-training prehabilitation program. In June 2024, Dr. Matt Strickland, surgeon at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, and his surgical team performed an eight-hour surgery to completely reconstruct Coyne’s abdominal wall, which now helps to retain organs within her abdomen.

“CHARGE is a collaborative approach to personalized hernia care that involves support from affiliated weight-loss specialists, personal trainers, interventional radiologists and perioperative medicine specialists to drive better outcomes for the most complex cases across the province,” says Dr. Strickland.

Two years post-surgery, Coyne feels happy, healthy and grateful she had access to expert hernia care so close to home.

“The recovery of having my abdominal wall rebuilt was significant but, within three months, I was off the daily pain medication I needed to manage my hernia pain,” says Coyne.

“I’m so grateful to Dr. Strickland and the entire CHARGE program for my surgery and giving me the ability to get my life back.”