To analyze the learning curve of magnetic anchoring two-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and to summarize the learning experience of this operation.

Clinical data of 110 patients who underwent magnetic anchoring two-port LC in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from June 2019 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The surgery was performed by the same group of experienced LC surgeons. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. Among them, 34 patients were male and 76 female, aged from 20 to 74 years, with a median age of 44 years. Regarding primary diseases, 81 patients were diagnosed with cholecystolithiasis complicated with chronic cholecystitis, 6 cases of cholecystolithiasis complicated with acute-on-chronic cholecystitis, 8 cases of cholecystolithiasis complicated with gallbladder polyp and15 cases of simple gallbladder polyp. The learning curve was delineated by cumulative sum method and the best fitting curve. The conditions of patients during different learning stages were observed. The operation time between two groups was compared by t test.

All patients successfully underwent magnetic anchoring two-port LC without conversion to three-port LC or open surgery. The average operation time was (40±11) min. The learning curve was divided into 2 stages, the learning stage when LC were performed in within 37 cases and the stable stage when LC were performed in beyond 37 cases. The learning stage endured for 12 months. In the learning stage, the operation time was (53±9) min, and (34±6) min in the stable stage, where significant difference was observed (t=11.323, P<0.05). No intraoperative bile duct and artery injury, bile leakage, bile duct stenosis, bleeding, infection or other postoperative complications occurred. No patient was re-hospitalized at postoperative 1 month.

The learning process of magnetic anchoring two-port LC is safe. Experienced LC surgeons can complete this procedure after performing 37 cases of LC during the 12-month learning stage, which is feasible for clinical application.