It is unknown whether there is a difference in pulmonary outcome in different intraoperative ventilation modes for cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The aim of this trial was to determine whether patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB could benefit from intraoperative optimal ventilation mode.

This was a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial.

The study was conducted at a single-center tertiary-care hospital.

A total of 1,364 adults undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB participated in this trial.

Patients were assigned randomly (1:1:1) to receive 1 of 3 ventilation modes: volume-controlled ventilation (VCV), pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV), and pressure-controlled ventilation–volume guaranteed (PCV-VG). All arms of the study received the lung-protective ventilation strategy.

The primary outcome was a composite of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) within the first 7 postoperative days. Pulmonary complications occurred in 168 of 455 patients (36.9%) in the PCV–VG group, 171 (37.6%) in the PCV group, and 182 (40.1%) in the VCV group, respectively. There was no statistical difference in the risk of overall pulmonary complications among groups (p = 0.585). There were no significant differences in the severity grade of PPCs within 7 days, postoperative ventilation duration, intensive care unit stay, postoperative hospital stay, or 30-day postoperative mortality.

Among patients scheduled for cardiac surgery with CPB, intraoperative ventilation mode type did not affect the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications.