The present invention is related to the field of anesthesia and perioperative mechanical ventilation of patients. It provides an improved protocol of perioperative mechanical ventilation of patients as well as a mechanical ventilation device performing said procedure.The protocol of the instant application is a volume-controlled, time-cycled ventilation mode wherein a variable TV is applied at a constant respiration rate with a variable inspiratory time (I) and thus a variable I:E ratio, but wherein the variability in TV is such that the total volume delivered over time is kept constant, and wherein the variability in I is such that the peak level of inspiratory flow is kept at a constant level.
