Each surgeon will have various tests that they will require the patient to complete before surgery can be scheduled. My surgeon requires a complete abdominal ultrasound and an Upper GI Series Barium Swallow. I completed my abdominal ultrasound on February 3, 2015. The abdominal ultrasound is painless and just examines the internal organs such as stomach, liver, kidneys, gallbladder, etc. It takes about 20 minutes or so to complete.
The Upper GI Barium Swallow was complete on February 13, 2015. I am awaiting results of that. It was a painless test. It took about 30 minutes to complete. They took a couple of normal x-rays and then I swallowed 2 different types of really disgusting tasting barium and a fizzy drink that had air crystals in it. They took xrays in different positions as I was swallowing the barium.