Zhao Z, Yuan TM, Chuang YH, et al. - Researchers assessed the post‐operative ventilation distribution alterations in cardiac surgical patients following traditional full sternotomy (FS) or minimally invasive thoracotomy (MIT). Participants were 40 patients scheduled for FS with two‐lung ventilation or MIT with one‐lung ventilation. Experts measured ventilation distribution with electrical impedance tomography (EIT) at T1, prior to surgery; T2, following surgery in ICU prior to weaning; T3, 24 hours post-extubation. The global inhomogeneity index rose at T2 and T3 vs T1 in all patients but was only statistically significant in patients with MIT. At T2, there was notable reduction in the dorsal regions (FS) or in the non‐ventilated side (MIT). Partial improvement in ventilation distribution was evident at T3 but there were huge variations of recovery progresses in all patients irrespective of the surgery types. Following cardiac surgery, impairment in ventilation distribution was detected. The recovery process of ventilation homogeneity was shown to be strongly depending on individuals so that MIT was not always superior in this aspect. The patients needing further care post-surgery may be identified with the help of EIT.