The aim of the study was to assess the significance of oesophagogastro-duodenoscopy (EGDS) before cholecystectomy. Over the period from 1988 to 1999 EGDS was performed in 384 patients before surgery out of a total of 1439 cholecystectomies. 42.8% presented no lesions, whereas pathological findings were detected in 57.2%. The lesions observed were divided into major and minor. EGDS performed prior to cholecystectomy detected major lesions in elderly patients and in patients with atypical biliary symptoms.