The invention relates to a surgical system for controlling a fluid. The system includes an irrigation line, which is connected at one end to a first fluid container for holding irrigation fluid, and which is connected at another end to a surgical handpiece. The system also includes an aspiration inlet line, which is provided from the surgical handpiece to an inlet of a suction pump, such that fluid can be sucked through the handpiece by the suction pump. The system further includes a second fluid container for holding the irrigation fluid, and an aspiration ventilation line, which connects the second fluid container to the aspiration inlet line. In addition, the system includes a venting valve, which is provided in the aspiration ventilation line and which can be switched as a function of a fluid pressure in the aspiration inlet line. The second fluid container can be filled via a filling line. The filling line is connected at one end to the irrigation line, and the filling line has a flow element with a constant hydraulic resistance of between 0.5 and 50.0 mmHg/(ml/min).
