Robotic abdominal hernia repair surgery: Natalie McLeod's story

Natalie Mcleod from Farnfsifeld in Nottingham suffered ‘extreme pain and bloating’ with an abdominal hernia for more than a year before she decided to have robotic surgery with consultant bariatric, pancreatic-biliary surgeon Mr Altaf Awan at The Park Hospital. 

An abdominal hernia, also known as a ventral hernia, occurs when tissue or organs push through a weakness in your abdominal wall. It creates a noticeable bulge in your tummy that can be very uncomfortable and painful. Other symptoms include difficulty breathing, limited mobility, and extreme digestive issues. 

As a dedicated forensic paediatrician in a children’s ward, Natalie’s work requires lots of lifting of children and being on her feet for long periods of time. When her abdominal hernia developed in 2019 following laparoscopic surgery to the area, Natalie was forced to ‘battle through the pain’ at work. In her personal life, she lost the ability to exercise and garden (which she loved). She also struggled with body image issues as a result of the extreme swelling and noticeable bulge caused by the hernia. 

"I was getting more exhausted at work and having to brave the pain every day. Bending down was becoming harder and I couldn’t take time off. I’m an avid golfer, which became difficult because my movement was limited."

There were a few occasions when Natalie’s hernia caused such extreme and acute pain, she thought she might have suffered a strangulated hernia, which occurs when tissue from your abdomen becomes trapped within the hernia and its blood supply is cut off. 

This can cause major complications if left untreated, so Natalie knew she needed to get help.

Meeting Mr Altaf Awan and getting help

Natalie was overjoyed with her experience at meeting her consultant and the Park Hospital’s multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals.  

Mr Awan chose to perform robotic surgery to treat Natalie’s condition. Robotic surgery offers numerous benefits, combining advanced technology with precision and control to enhance surgical outcomes. Using a robotic system, your surgeon can perform minimally invasive procedures through smaller incisions, leading to less pain, reduced blood loss, and faster recovery times. The system provides high-definition, 3D visualisation and enhanced dexterity, allowing your surgeon to perform complex procedures with greater accuracy than traditional methods. 

“Everyone was absolutely lovely. When I went for my pre-op appointment my dad had died unexpectedly the night before and I was an absolute wreck. I still went because dad would have been so cross with me if I cancelled because of him! Everyone I interacted with was so lovely and supportive, even when I wandered off in a daze and forgot I needed an ECG before going home! I called afterwards when I realised and they arranged for me to have it done on the day of the operation instead.

On the day of the procedure there was a delay with getting the anaesthetist so I had to wait a little while. Mr Awan called my husband personally to explain what had happened so he wouldn’t worry that it was taking so long. The nursing staff kept me updated and made sure I was okay while we waited."

A life-changing diagnosis and treatment alongside surgery

While receiving such dedicated and personalised treatment from Mr Awan, Natalie was diagnosed with a separate condition she had been dealing with for a long time and struggled to reach a diagnosis for.  

“Mr Awan was wonderful. When he first assessed me, I told him that I had IBS that was causing me to get up 10-15 times in the night with diarrhoea that was not responsive to treatment. I’d had a colonoscopy which had shown no abnormality and the consultant at that time had told me nothing could be done. Mr Awan asked me if I had ever been tested for bile acid malabsorption - a condition I had never heard of despite being a doctor myself (admittedly in a different specialty!). I spoke to my GP about it, but they weren’t able to investigate without a referral from a consultant. Although Mr Awan’s responsibility for me was over, I emailed his secretary, and he kindly wrote a letter that allowed my GP to start a trial of treatment.

It turned out his diagnosis was correct. I’m now on medication, sleeping through the night with no interruptions, and able to go out and live my life without fear of accidents. Previously, if I was at work I couldn’t eat lunch, or I wouldn’t be able to do anything in the afternoon as I would be on the toilet every fifteen minutes. Now, I can grab a sandwich from the café and get back to my afternoon clinic without worrying!

Quite aside from the hernia operation, Mr Awan’s diagnosis and kindness have changed my life. I had intended to write to thank him before now, so I’m really grateful for this opportunity to do so publicly. I wish him every success and happiness in the future.”

Natalie’s diagnosis was aided by the holistic approach that Mr Awan took to Natalie’s care – focusing on her overall mental and physical wellbeing and not just her abdominal hernia. She is incredibly grateful that this was the approach that was taken.

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