the 'FLOW– vs VOLUME–controlled ventilation during one–lung ventilation' (FLOW vs VOLUME) singlecenter randomized clinical trial compared flow–controlled ventilation with fixed tidal volume and fixed PEEP to volume–controlled ventilation in 78 thoracic surgery patients, with respect to intraoperative gas exchange and respiratory physiology during one–lung ventilation, and postoperative pulmonary complications

the trial is registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00022198); the primary analysis was published in European Journal of Anaesthesiology (2025; in press). 

connect with Jakob Wittenstein for questions

the PROVE Network aims to provide deeper insight into the individualized settings of flow–controlled ventilation

this includes detailed descriptions of individualized PEEP and individualized driving pressure settings in extreme scenarios like minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery or bariatric surgery, as well as in special conditions like one–lung ventilation during thoracic surgery

a first report has been accepted for publication in Anesthesia & Analgesia (2015; in press)

connect with Timur Yurttas for information

this international multicenter randomized clinical pilot trial will compare individualized flow–controlled ventilation with pressure–controlled ventilation in patients scheduled for robot–assisted laparoscopic abdominal, urologic, or gynecologic surgery

the objectives are to assess the safety of flow–controlled ventilation and the feasibility of the study, while also informing the design of a future trial, named ‘PROtective ventilation with FLOW–controlled ventilation to improve postoperative pulmonary outcome after ROBOT–assisted laparoscopic surgery’ (PROFLOW–ROBOTic)

this pilot study is registered at clinicaltrials (NCT06703814); the study protocol will be published soon, and patient enrollment started in February 2025

connect with Timur Yurttas for information

the ‘PROtective ventilation with FLOW–controlled ventilation to improve postoperative pulmonary outcome after ROBOT–assisted laparoscopic surgery’ (PROFLOW–ROBOTic) international multicenter randomized clinical trial determines the effect of individualized flow–controlled ventilation versus conventional ventilation on postoperative pulmonary complications in patients at high risk for postoperative pulmonary complications receiving mechanical ventilation during general anesthesia for laparoscopic robotic–assisted surgery

PROFLOW–ROBOTic will be registered at clinicaltrials (pending); the study protocol will be published in TRIALS

the database of PROFLOW–ROBOTic will be harmonized to enable pooling with data from other flow–controlled studies

for more information visit the PROFLOW–ROBOTic website (available soon)

connect with Timur Yurttas for information

we are currently planning a pilot study similar to  the PROFLOW–ROBOTic pilot, in patients scheduled for open or video–assisted thoracic surgery with one–lung ventilation 

the objectives are to assess the safety of individualized flow–controlled ventilation and the feasibility of the study, while also informing the design of a future trial, named ‘PROtective ventilation with FLOW–controlled ventilation to improve postoperative pulmonary outcome after THORACic surgery’ (PROFLOW–THORACic)

this pilot study will be registered at clinicaltrials (pending); the study protocol will also be published soon, and patient enrollment is set to begin in early 2026

connect with Timur Yurttas for information

the ‘PROtective ventilation with FLOW–controlled ventilation to improve postoperative pulmonary outcome after THORACic surgery’ (PROFLOW–THORACic) international multicenter randomized clinical trial determines the effect of individualized flow–controlled ventilation versus conventional ventilation on postoperative pulmonary complications in patients scheduled for open or video–assisted thoracic surgery with one–lung ventilation 

PROFLOW–THORACic will be registered at clinicaltrials (pending); the study protocol will be published in TRIALS

the database of PROFLOW–THORACic will be harmonized to enable pooling with data from other flow–controlled studies

for more information visit the PROFLOW–THORACic website (available soon)

connect with Timur Yurttas for information

all studies of flow–controlled ventilation will use 'postoperative pulmonary complications' as the primary endpoint; a new composite definition of 'postoperative pulmonary complications' is currently being developed and will be applied in these trials

'Postoperative pulmonary complications – Evaluation for Consensus on StandardIzed Outcomes' (PrECiSIOn), is a Delphi project designed to identify current insights into how postoperative pulmonary complications should be defined and graded

the Delphi is registered at clinicaltrials (NCT06916598); the study protocol was published in British Medical Journal Open (2025; 15:e103888)

the Delphi process has begun recently

connect with Sabrine Hemmes, Timur Yurttas, or Prashant Nasa  for information on this Delphi