Hernia Surgery

A hernia happens when there’s a defect in the abdominal wall (groin, belly button, prior incision, etc.), letting tissue protrude and cause a lump, discomfort, or pain—especially when coughing, lifting, or standing.

Hernia surgery aims to put the bulging tissue back where it belongs and close/reinforce the hole to prevent it from popping out again.

There are multiple approaches:

Open repair

• A small incision is made over the hernia.
• The protruding tissue is gently pushed back inside.
• The defect is closed with sutures, and usually a mesh patch is added to reinforce the area.
• Often done with local anesthesia plus sedation or general anesthesia.

Minimally invasive (laparoscopic or robotic) repair:

• Several tiny incisions.
• The abdomen is inflated with gas; a camera and instruments are used from the inside.
• The hernia opening is covered from the inside with mesh and secured (tacks/sutures/glue), sometimes with stitches closing the defect first.
• Always done under general anesthesia.
• Typically less post-op pain and quicker return to activity for many patients, especially for bilateral or recurrent hernias.

What is “mesh” and why use it?

• Mesh is a medical-grade net-like material that spreads tension across a larger area, lowering recurrence rates compared with stitches alone for most adult hernias.
• Types include synthetic (most common) and biologic (used selectively). Your surgeon chooses based on hernia type, size, location, and your health.

Shorter wait times

Consults and surgery dates are typically scheduled in weeks—not months—which means faster return to work, sport, and caregiving duties.

The sooner an enlarging/symptomatic hernia is fixed, the less time spent at risk of incarceration/strangulation.

Choice & control

Ability to choose a hernia surgeon based on what's important to you (i.e. specific expertise, experience, qualifications, personal connection)

Certainty

Private pathways typically provide a clear quote and date, so you can arrange time off, caregiver help, and rehab. This certainty can ease anxiety and help families plan for recovery.

Preventing further decline

• Symptom progression: Many hernias enlarge over time, causing more pain and activity limits; earlier repair can prevent this.
• Complexity creep: Larger or recurrent hernias may require more extensive surgery, larger mesh, and longer recovery if delayed.
• Emergency avoidance: While the absolute risk is small for some hernias, incarceration/strangulation is more dangerous and costly than planned elective repair—private access reduces the “waiting period” risk.
• Overall health impact: Reduces time spent limiting activity (which can lead to deconditioning, weight gain, and worsening hernia mechanics).

1. ‍Confirm your diagnosis. Most patients start with a family doctor or specialist who confirms that hernia surgery is needed.
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2. Research. Explore surgeons who specialize in private hernia surgery.
   • You can find surgeons in Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Toronto, Ontario; and Montréal, Québec on our app, and review qualifications, as well as pricing.
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3. Schedule an initial consultation. Most surgeons offer in-clinic and online consults.
   
   • Consultations are usually booked within days or a few weeks.
   • Note: expect a consultation fee between $150 - $350.
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4. Consultation. The surgeon will review your condition, symptoms, and any previous treatments or diagnostics, such as x-rays or MRIs.
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5. ‍Post consultation. The surgeon will then review your case and provide surgical options based on your needs; review the risks and expected outcomes; and present pricing and scheduling options.
   
   • Because the procedure is not covered by your provincial health plan when done privately, you’ll need to review the quoted cost and consider payment options (out-of-pocket, private insurance, or financing).
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6. Schedule your surgery date. Once you confirm the procedure and payment, the clinic will schedule your surgery—generally within a few weeks.
   
   • Plan for travel and accommodation, since the surgery will likely take place outside your home province.
   • Expect pre-surgery preparation, and possibly some pre-surgery tests.

The surgery itself will take 1-2hours, and you will likely be discharged the same day.

• Access: Incision(s) are made—one larger for open, a few small for minimally invasive.
• Reduce the hernia: The bulging tissue is returned to the abdomen; any hernia sac is addressed.
• Repair and reinforce: The hole is closed (if appropriate) and reinforced—usually with mesh.
• Close and recover: Incisions are closed with sutures or glue; you go to recovery.

Week 1

• Goals: control pain and swelling; protect the repair; walk safely and resume basic self-care; prevent constipation and blood clots

• Activities:
  • Walk several short times daily; avoid lifting >10–15lbs
  • Use supportive underwear/abdominal binder if advised
  • Light home tasks; stairs with care
  • Shower after 24–48h if permitted; keep wounds dry (no soaking)
  • Stool softener, fiber, fluids; take meds as prescribed

Weeks 2–4

• Goals: normalize daily activities and walking pace; reduce soreness/bruising; heal incisions; return to desk/sedentary work

• Activities:
  • Increase walking distance; gentle stretching
  • Drive when off narcotics and moving comfortably
  • Light chores; avoid core-straining moves and heavy lifting
  • Start gentle core activation (diaphragmatic breathing, pelvic tilts) if comfortable

Weeks 5–12

• Goals: restore strength and endurance; gradually reintroduce core and lifting; return to non-impact exercise; prepare for heavier work/sport

• Activities:
  • Brisk walks, stationary bike, elliptical
  • Progressive resistance, start light (10–15lbs), increase as pain-free
  • Gentle core work (isometrics, dead bug progressions); avoid painful Valsalva/straining
  • Many return to manual work with graded duties by 6–8 weeks (surgeon-dependent)

Weeks 13–52

• Goals: full return to normal life, sport, and heavy lifting; maintain core/back/hip strength and flexibility; prevent recurrence with good lifting mechanics and weight control

• Activities:
  • Resume higher-impact exercise and heavy lifting as cleared
  • Full-duty manual labor and sport-specific training
  • Ongoing core program; avoid chronic straining (treat cough/constipation)

Red flags anytime: fever, spreading redness/pus, worsening pain/swelling, a new hard non-reducible bulge, vomiting, chest pain/shortness of breath, calf swelling—seek care promptly.

In Canada, private clinics charge between $4,000 to $15,000 for hernia surgery, though costs can exceed $15,000 in certain situations.

In the United States, the average cost is CA$5,500 to CA$15,150.

Costs vary so much because of hernia type, location, surgeon experience, facility type, complexity, and included services (some clinics offer all-inclusive, while others charge separately for anesthesia, followup care, etc.).

What’s included

Most quotes for private hernia surgery cover:

• Surgeon fee (and assistant if used) and anesthesia (local/regional or general; varies by clinic).
• Facility fees (operating room, nursing, supplies).
• Standard mesh/implants and fixation devices for routine cases.
• Immediate post‑operative care and routine early follow‑ups (wound checks, suture removal).
• Standard discharge items provided on site (e.g., jock/support garment, basic meds given in facility), varies by clinic.

What’s usually not included:

• Pre‑op consults, advanced imaging, or specialized tests (ultrasound/CT, cardiac clearance) beyond basics.
• Additional/advanced mesh or fixation for complex or recurrent hernias.
• Unexpected overnight hospital admission or extended monitoring.
• Long‑term physiotherapy, return‑to‑work assessments, or activity‑specific rehab.
• Home medications after discharge (pain meds, stool softeners, antibiotics if prescribed).
• Travel and accommodation if surgery is out‑of‑province.
• Management of complications or re‑operations beyond the routine global period (policy varies by clinic).

Insurance and financing options

• Private health insurance: Some plans may cover part of the costs, such as hospital fees. It’s important to check your policy directly.
• Financing plans: Many clinics offer monthly payment options to help spread out the cost. Learn more about your financing options here.‍
• Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC): This is a non-refundable credit that reduces your taxes when you pay out-of-pocket for eligible medical expenses. Learn more about how to claim METC for private surgeries.

Choosing your surgeon is one of the benefits of going the private route. Here is what to consider when making your choice.

What to look for

• Experience. Ask how many hernia surgeries they perform each year. Volume and familiarity with the procedure can matter.‍
• Credentials and training.
  
  • ‍Confirm your surgeon is a licensed through their provincial college (e.g., CPSO in Ontario, CPSBC in BC, CPSA in Alberta).
    
  • Ensure they are certified through the the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC).

• Specialization. Some surgeons increase their expertise in this area by pursuing additional 1-2 year fellowships for minimally invasive surgery or complex abdominal wall reconstruction.
  
• Accreditation of the clinic or hospital. Make sure the clinic is accredited by national bodies such as Accreditation Canada or the Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (CAAASF).
• Support services. Look for clinics that offer coordinated aftercare.

Questions to ask during your hernia surgery consultation

Another benefit of private surgery is time spent with the surgeon. The consultation will be between 30-60 minutes (but possibly 2hours for complicated cases). Your surgeon should answer most of the questions below, but be sure to bring 5-7 that are important to you.

Surgeon and surgery plan

• How many surgeries do you perform each year? What about for my type (inguinal/ventral/umbilical/recurrent)?
• What are your infection and recurrence rates?
• What type of hernia do I have? Size, location, and risk of incarceration/strangulation?
• Do you recommend open, laparoscopic, or robotic repair for my case—and why?
• What anesthesia do you recommend (local/regional + sedation vs general) and why?
• Is this outpatient or will I stay overnight? In a hospital or ambulatory surgery center?

Post-surgery

• What are the main risks for me (infection, seroma, chronic pain, recurrence, urinary retention, bleeding)?
• What are my activity restrictions and timeline back to walking, desk work, lifting, and sports?
• What signs after surgery should prompt me to call you or go to the ER?
• Who do I contact for questions after surgery (direct line/email)? How quickly do you typically respond?
• If complications occur, how are they managed and by whom?

Costs and logistics

• What exactly is included in my quote? What could add cost?
• If a complication occurs, how are costs handled? Is there a revision policy?
• How are follow‑ups managed if I’m traveling from another province?