Rebirth of a Doctor Without Regrets

Chapter 110 Business Decisions

Wang Xiao reached out and pressed on Zhu Chunhua's shoulder, signaling her to calm down, and then turned to Robert.

"Mr. Muller, please don't be nervous. We didn't trespass on your behalf. We just have a mutually beneficial collaboration that we'd like to discuss with you in person."

This is Ms. Zhu Chunhua, Associate Chief Physician of Cardiac Surgery at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chung Hsin University, and also the 32nd recipient of the Johns Hopkins University Senov Research Award.

"The Senov Research Prize?" Robert's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had returned to his happy school days, when he was a shining star on campus, and he still is now in the company.

"The 32nd? Oh God, I can't believe it! I was the 23rd winner, and it's such an honor to meet a beautiful lady here who also received this honor."

As he spoke, he proactively extended his hand, abandoning his previous defensiveness and instead displaying the mutual appreciation between fellow researchers.

Zhu Chunhua was taken aback for a moment, then reacted, extending her hand to shake his gently, a polite smile on her face: "Mr. Muller, it's an honor to meet you."

Wang Xiao watched the two figures clasping hands, a knowing smile appearing on his lips, and then he reached out and opened a second can of German beer.

He gestured to Robert, speaking as naturally as if he were on his own turf: "Mr. Muller, why don't we sit down by the pool and talk? The breeze is just right here, and it will allow us to properly discuss our cooperation."

Robert smiled and nodded, gesturing for him to proceed: "Please, Dr. Wang."

As he spoke, he led the way to the poolside in the corner of the rooftop, where a set of white rattan chairs and a small coffee table were placed, exuding a sense of comfort.

Wang Xiao pulled Zhu Chunhua to a chair and sat down. He placed the beer on the coffee table, then took out a stack of neatly bound draft papers from his backpack and gently pushed them in front of Robert.

"Mr. Mueller, I know you have your own judgment on the development of cardiac surgical instruments, but the surgical procedure I'm bringing today might change your mind."

This is a draft of a paper that I co-authored with Dr. Zhu. The core of the paper is my newly developed ex vivo artificial valve reconstruction technique.

Robert picked up the draft paper, his expression gradually becoming serious. His fingertips gently turned the pages, his eyes intently scanning the details of each surgical procedure, the two clinical cases, and the comparative analysis with other secondary surgeries.

He looked at it very carefully, pausing from time to time to point at the draft with his fingertips, as if he was seriously thinking about something.

This was Zhu Chunhua's first time experiencing a review by an authoritative reviewer in person. She didn't dare to breathe and secretly glanced at Wang Xiao, her eyes filled with nervousness.

That's right, Robert is not only the president of a medical company, but also one of the reviewers for many top medical journals.

Wang Xiao remained calm, took a sip of his beer, and patiently waited for Robert's response. He knew that tricks were no longer effective, and now he had to impress him with the inherent value of the technique itself.

About ten minutes later, Robert put down the draft of the paper, a look of approval on his face.

"The paper is very well written, with clear logic and detailed data. This idea of ​​ex vivo artificial valve reconstruction is indeed very innovative and can significantly shorten the time of secondary valve surgery, which is undoubtedly of great value in clinical practice."

Hearing this, Zhu Chunhua secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and Wang Xiao also showed a faint smile. Just as they were about to speak further to explain the cooperation needs, Robert raised his hand to interrupt them.

"But Dr. Wang," Robert's tone turned serious, "you should know that the general consensus in the medical community is that a second heart surgery is extremely risky."

After the first cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, the patient's heart muscle has been damaged, making it difficult for them to survive a second open-heart surgery. The risk of postoperative complications will also increase exponentially.

He paused, then continued, "Moreover, our research and development direction at Aibo Medical has already been adjusted."

Laparoscopic and interventional catheter approaches represent the future trend in cardiovascular medicine. They are less invasive, allow for faster recovery, better meet patient needs, and have greater market potential.

Therefore, the company currently does not plan to invest excessive human and material resources in developing devices for open cardiac surgery.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiao was not surprised at all. Instead, he nodded slightly and said, "Mr. Mueller, I completely agree with your point of view. Endoscopic and interventional approaches are indeed the mainstream in the future."

Over the next decade, major surgeries will become less frequent, while interventional surgeries will experience rapid growth—this is an irreversible trend.

Wang Xiao leaned forward slightly, looking directly at Robert: "But you've overlooked one point. While interventional surgery is less invasive, it's not a panacea."

If interventional surgery fails, such as in the event of a ruptured blood vessel or valve displacement, open surgery remains the last resort and a safety net to ensure the patient's life.

As if by magic, Wang Xiao took out a bottle of mineral water from the insulated box by the pool and handed it to Robert like a host entertaining a guest.

Robert took the bottle of mineral water, unscrewed it, took a sip, and remained expressionless and noncommittal.

After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "Dr. Wang, I understand what you mean. But it's undeniable that the second open-chest surgery you performed is still too risky."

You are currently only a resident physician with insufficient clinical experience. If your surgery goes wrong, resulting in serious complications or even death for the patient, it will not only affect your career but could also damage the reputation of our Aibo Medical.

He looked at Wang Xiao with a frank and resolute gaze: "I cannot gamble the company's reputation and future on a young doctor who has not yet fully proven himself. This is my business decision."

Wang Xiao tightened his grip on the beer can; Robert's concerns were not unfounded.

Healthcare companies have their own business logic and focus, such as the interventional approach that Robert mentioned, which has been changing rapidly over the past decade.

While there have been some innovations in open surgery techniques, the changes in instruments have been rather unremarkable.

This is the development trend of the entire medical industry.

But he was even more aware that his surgical technique filled a large gap in secondary surgeries and deserved to be taken seriously.

Zhu Chunhua quickly spoke up, trying to persuade him: "Mr. Mueller, we have successfully completed two clinical surgeries, and the patients are recovering very well without any serious complications. The safety of this procedure has been preliminarily verified —"

Robert raised his hand again to interrupt Zhu Chunhua, gently shaking his head: "Dr. Zhu, I believe in your professional abilities and the potential of this procedure."

However, two cases are far from sufficient to support the research and development and promotion of a medical device. I'm sorry, I cannot grant your request.