Can changing how patients breathe during heart surgery save lives?
NCT ID NCT04978636
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.
Disclaimer
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the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, United States