Before The Surgery Back Preoperative Testing Once your insurance has given you authorization of services, you will be plugged into the rigorous preoperative routine that all patients must go through. This will include various tests and consultations by physicians as deemed necessary by your medical history. This preoperative clearance can include but is not limited to: EGD - Esophagogastroduodenoscopy - All patients must have an EGD prior to surgery. An EGD is a test where a very small camera is navigated down your throat into your esophagus and down to the stomach into the first portion of your small intestines. One of our surgeons will perform this test. It is an outpatient test that takes approximately 5-10 minutes and is done under sedation. It is painless and you will not remember any part of it. The purpose of this test is to allow the surgeon to take a look at your stomach to rule out any structural abnormalities. Remember, this is the last time that someone will be able to visualize the lower portion of your stomach without actually cutting into your abdomen. We want to make sure that everything is normal. PFT's - Pulmonary Function Tests - Most patients who suffer from morbid obesity also suffer from various breathing difficulties such as Asthma, Obstructive Airway Diseases, Sleep Apnea or Hypoventilation Syndrome. We must assess your ability to breath on your own both during and after surgery, as the anesthesia decreases your respiratory function. Significant breathing difficulties can make you an unsuitable surgical candidate. USGB - Ultrasound of the Gallbladder - Patients who still have their gallbladders must have an ultrasound of this organ prior to surgery. If your gallbladder is found to have stones, it must be removed during your Gastric Bypass surgery, as the surgery tends to worsen symptoms of a diseased gallbladder. MD Clearances - If any patient has health conditions prior to surgery that may decrease their ability to undergo the procedure, he/she must be evaluated by a specialist in order to provide clearance to proceed with surgery. These clearances may include any or all of the following: Cardiology, Pulmonary, Nephrology, Anesthesia, and Psychology.