Can changing how patients breathe during heart surgery save lives?

NCT ID NCT04978636

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: The Cleveland Clinic Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looks at two different ways of ventilating (helping patients breathe) during cardiopulmonary bypass, the machine that takes over for the heart and lungs during surgery. Over 5,500 adults having elective heart surgery will be randomly assigned to receive either low-tidal volume ventilation with 21% oxygen or with 100% oxygen. The goal is to see which method reduces the chance of death within 30 days and serious lung complications after surgery.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: low-tidal volume ventilation with either 21% or 100% oxygen during cardiopulmonary bypass
What this could lead to: If successful, this could lead to a standard way to ventilate patients during heart surgery that lowers the risk of lung problems and death.
What could go wrong: This is a large but early-stage study; results may not apply to all heart surgery patients, and the ventilation strategies themselves carry inherent risks.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

CARDIAC SURGERY

Contacts and locations

Locations

Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, United States

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