Typical recommendations for pre-operative care may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:

  • Abdominal ultrasound and liver function tests.
  • HIDA\PIPIDA scan to evaluate for biliary dyskinesia.
  • Nothing by mouth (NPO) for 8 hours before surgery.
  • Cardiopulmonary evaluation as needed.
  • Anesthesiology consultation as needed.
  • Prophylactic antibiotics for patients with acute cholecystitis. 
  • Preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for patients with clinical, laboratory, or radiographic evidence of choledocholithiasis. (Some surgeons with advanced laparoscopy experience may prefer laparoscopic common duct exploration.)