The Godfather of Surgery

Houston, Texas, 35 kilometers southeast of Clear Lake, Johnson Space Center.

When Johanneson got off the plane, it was already past ten o'clock in the evening. The special car from the Space Center took him from the airport to a hotel near Space City. He rested for the night. At seven o'clock in the morning, Johanneson hurried to Johnson Aerospace without breakfast. Center Building 1.

At this time, the space city was empty, with only some security guards patrolling the night, the staff went to work at ten o'clock, and the tourists had to enter at ten o'clock. The entire Building 1 of the Johnson Space Center, only one office was lit.

Dr. Collins is already waiting at the door downstairs. He is the medical team leader of NASA's Johnson Aerospace Center, and Johannesson is a special expert of their medical team.

Presenting his ID to the security guard at the vigil and completing the required security procedures, Collins took Johannesson to the medical team's office.

I didn't expect you to arrive last night. I'm very sorry. It must have delayed you a lot. Would you like some coffee? Collins apologized and asked if he needed coffee.

Johanneson refuses coffee, he has no interest in coffee or any beverage except plain water.

When he was an undergraduate student at Harvard University, smoking and drinking, let alone coffee, were commonplace.

After successfully graduating from his undergraduate degree in four years, he was successfully admitted to Harvard Medical School, and since then he has given up smoking, alcohol and all beverages, including coffee.

Sorry, I keep forgetting, you only drink mineral water. Collins went to the water dispenser and poured a glass of boiling water for Johanneson.

Johanneson didn't have time to greet each other and went straight to the point: Is Steven's body feeling unwell at the moment?

Yesterday at the ground control center, I finished a call with him. He didn't have any discomfort. The heart rate has been maintained at around 52 beats per minute. We are very nervous and can't find the reason. Collins sat down.

Although the microgravity of the space station will bring many puzzling physical anomalies, some of the problems we have encountered have not been solved so far, but Steven's abnormality makes me a little uneasy, we need more experts , Cardiovascular medicine, respiratory medicine, neurology, endocrinology, thoracic surgery, etc., we have to have a complete discussion. Johanneson did not know why he was so nervous this time.

They will all come. They can be there at the latest at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Dr. Eugene from the Cardiovascular Medicine Department of Johns Hopkins has the first flight this morning. It takes off at 6 o'clock and should be here before 9 o'clock. Collins will be specially hired Experts are invited.

Although Steven's body is not in any discomfort, he must pay attention to the slowing of his heart rate. Some issues are beyond the capabilities of their medical team and must be discussed by the nation's top experts.

In twenty days, Steven will be on the International Space Station for six months, when he will return to the ground and a new expedition member will take his place.

You also think the problem is not easy? Johanneson laughed.

Collins frowned: The problem of the heart, a slight disturbance, I think it is a big problem. Before we figure out the reason, we dare not use atropine to increase the heart rate. It makes no sense to do so. He is not feeling well at the moment, but who can It ensures that bigger problems don’t follow right away.”

On the International Space Station, atropine is a standing drug in the medicine cabinet.

Why did I come all night, because I was worried that the problem might be in the brain-brain stem! Although the probability is extremely low, I still have to remind you. Johanneson took a deep sip of water.

When he was on the ground, there was never a problem with the physical examination, there was no problem. Collins felt that the possibility of intracranial disease was too small.

Medical equipment can never be trusted with 100 percent. There are many reasons for the slow heart rate. I hope I'm overthinking it. If Steven is only performing sexually in a microgravity environment, it will not affect his return. This is the best, but Wan Wan One—. Johanneson never comforts himself, even if the probability is 1 in 10,000, he should pay attention to it, and can't take chances, this is the quality of a doctor.

If so, can he be expected to return to the surface? Our current communication is private and informal and not on the record.

I don't know the reason now, it's hard for me to judge, but if it's an intracranial aneurysm or something, I'm afraid there's no way to return, and the impact of the fall when returning will kill him.

No, no, this is horrible. If it's an aneurysm, the artery will explode and rupture on the way back. Collins' heart was beating suddenly.

Johanneson shook his head: If it was in the brain stem, it would be even more terrifying.

No, how can an intracranial aneurysm have a slow heart rate as the first symptom? It shouldn't be headache, dizziness, or some neurological symptoms. What is the basis for your judgment? He is a strong guy. Look at his records. Countless physical examinations, no problems, even a little abnormal data, the last physical examination before launch, head MRI cerebrovascular imaging, no problems, no problems with previous cerebral angiography.

Of course, this is just my worst guess, and I hope it's not. Not long ago, I saw a case in China. The tumor in the brain stem was the first symptom of slow heart rate and breathing. I had lingering fears. If you think like this, maybe I'm too sensitive, you don't have to worry too much, I'm a neurosurgeon, and anyone who looks at it will feel that there is a problem in the skull. Johanneson did not want to intimidate Collins, after all, there is no evidence at present.

There are many reasons for a slow heart rate, and it is only one of them that I have considered.

Hopefully not, if it were, we would be helpless, returning would be death, not returning would be death.

Collins looked out the window, the sun was getting brighter, and he got up and turned off the lights in the office.

How about we go have some breakfast? You haven't had breakfast in Space City for a long time, right? Collins invited Johannesson.

Johanneson was also hungry: I thought you only had mineral water for me.

——

In the question and answer session yesterday afternoon, everyone asked questions enthusiastically. Some people's questions were very tricky, but they were easily resolved by Yang Ping.

Those tricky questions, even Robert thought it was too much, but Yang Ping's answer left the questioner speechless.

Today, keep the style of yesterday, that's what it is, Dr. Yang, if you stay humble, they will think you are timid, afraid, lacking in knowledge and ability, and you have to argue with them fiercely until they are speechless, It is best to ridicule them a few more words, so as to convince them that Americans are different from the Chinese, so there is no need to save face for them.

How do you say it in Chinese style?

Robert turned to ask Lao Cheng.

Boss Cheng said, Go to hell!

Yes! Go to hell!

Robert explained to Yang Ping that when the lecture was over, those guys who were still unfinished yesterday would definitely launch an attack and go to hell.

After yesterday's meeting, several guys were still chasing questions, and I knew that several guys were not reconciled, and they would continue to bombard Dr. Yang today.

Yang Ping also felt that Robert was right. To these Yankees, if you keep your strength, they will think that you are not good. It is this strength, and it is the right way to do it to the death. It is still Americans who understand Americans. Yang Ping likes Robert very much. Thumbs up for him.

Robert was very happy to see Yang Ping's thumb.

The engineer of OrthoPediatricS followed behind: Dr. Yang, can you take time to talk about the patent transaction after class? Our company's negotiator has arrived.

This engineer has always wanted to talk to Yang Ping about cooperation, but Yang Ping doesn't have time to talk to him. He wants Huang Jiacai to talk about these business trivial matters.

Yesterday, Huang Jiacai came back at night. Yang Ping gave Huang Jiacai a power of attorney and asked him to help discuss patent licensing.

Lao Cheng was the negotiator's deputy. With the help of Robert, Huang Jiacai found a translator, a lawyer who was good at intellectual property, and formed a complete negotiation team.

After the lecture, Dr. Yang still has something to do. There is no time to negotiate. Robert immediately said to the engineer, Don't follow Dr. Yang, you should talk to the representative of Dr. Yang. Mr. Huang, I have prepared a place for you.

Robert found a meeting room in the administrative area of ​​the hospital to negotiate with them, and then accompanied Yang Ping to the meeting room to give a lecture.

This is Dr. Yang's power of attorney. He has authorized me to negotiate. Huang Jiacai showed the power of attorney to the representative of OrthoPediatricS.

OrthoPediatricS has four representatives, in addition to engineers, there is a vice president of the company, a lawyer in the legal department, and a commissioner in the patent department.

With Huang Jiacai, it is exactly four on four.

We are very interested in Dr. Yang's device and want to purchase the international patent rights for the entire set of devices. I don't know if you agree with this transaction. We are currently the only company in the world that focuses on children's orthopedic implants. Deputy Negotiator of OrthoPediatricS Company Total Sorin was very direct.

In fact, Huang Jiacai can also listen and speak English, but what he learned in the training class, formal negotiation with the Americans is difficult enough to deal with, so he still relies on the help of an interpreter.

We don't plan to sell the patent rights, we just want to do exclusive licensing. Huang Jiacai replied firmly.

Sorin shrugged: Of course, if we do exclusive licensing, we will also pay the licensing fee to your satisfaction.

How much? Huang Jiacai didn't want to waste time.

Thorin held out two fingers: Two million dollars a year.

Huang Jiacai scolded in his heart, these guys are too pitiful, thinking that the Chinese are hillbillies and have never seen money.

In all fairness, if it is in China, this price is already sky-high.

But this is in the United States. Huang Jiacai is very familiar with the pharmaceutical and medical device markets. He knows all about some of the more famous patent transactions and lawsuits. This negotiation requires almost no homework.

Huang Jiacai took a piece of paper and a pen on the desk, and wrote on the paper the patent transaction cases and patent litigation cases of orthopedic devices in the United States in the past three years.

Look, Mr. Sorin, this is a similar transaction in the last three years. This is your annual income in the children's and adolescent sports medicine market. Which price should you refer to? Rick, a spine surgeon in Indiana. Sasso and medical device giant Medtronic, Medtronic paid Dr. Rick Sasso US$112 million in royalties due to the dispute over the patent royalties of the Vertex cervical spine system. Huang Jiacai was rude.

Sorin's face instantly turned red.

Dr. Yang's device has a much larger market space than the Vertex cervical spine system. It will help you occupy the entire children's and adolescent sports medicine market, and can also open up a part of the adult sports medicine market. Moreover, around this curve drill, you can also develop The Vertex cervical spine system is used as a reference to produce a set of trauma orthopaedic instruments, and it will not be a mere $2 million annual licensing fee, Dr. Sorin, you underestimate us. Although Huang Jiacai came to the United States for the first time, he was not In the face of these guys, he is very confident and has a strong psychological quality. He is an expert in negotiating this stuff.

After a brief blushing, Sorin immediately said: No, you can't look at it this way. If we can't cooperate, these patents of yours will not reflect their due value. When you go back to China, these patents will be very cheap and even put on the shelf. This The inner core inside the curved drill cannot be produced with the processing technology level in China.”

He did talk about the pain point, because the inner core has too high requirements for precision, and domestic manufacturers cannot process it. Yang Ping is afraid of waste, so he is willing to authorize it to Americans, otherwise he would have found a domestic manufacturer to cooperate.

Helpless, I found a domestic manufacturer to cooperate, and they offered hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they ignored it.

That's why Yang Pingcai planned to sell to an American company, first get a sum of money, and then he can make other plans.

For the technical route of this set of equipment, he also left behind. If one day, a domestic manufacturer is willing to cooperate in production, he can redesign an upgraded version, bypassing his own patent.

Mr. Solin, you are wrong, the market for children's orthopedic consumables is currently a blue ocean, but almost all the giants such as Stryker, Smith \u0026 Nephew, Johnson \u0026 Johnson, etc., have already begun to deploy. You are in danger, but you have no idea. I I am surprised by your slowness. To tell you the truth, it is not your family that is interested in our equipment. Due to commercial secrets, I cannot disclose more information, but I still kindly remind you that these giants, no matter who they are. The licensing of our device is a huge blow to OrthoPediatricS.

Huang Jiacai took out his plane ticket to the Stryker headquarters in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and put it on his desk.

This is my plane ticket to Kalamazoo two days ago. I don't need to say the purpose of the trip. We will talk to you about business secrets, because you focus on children's orthopedic implants and will do better than them. It's a pity that you don't recognize their value, so we can only settle for the next best thing. By the way, I would like to tell Mr. Sorin two pieces of information. First, we are not short of money. You know a little about Dr. Yang this time. The commission for the operation can support this information, and secondly, Kalamazoo's friends know better than you, negotiating with you, in our Chinese language, contains a trace of feelings.

Huang Jiacai calmed down, not in a hurry, and thought to himself: the lawyers and patent specialists are sitting opposite each other, this is a formal team, the board of directors does not have a meeting, and such a team cannot be dispatched.

Lao Cheng looked at the plane ticket on the table with a confused look on his face, this kid, didn't he go to investigate, when did he go to negotiate the patent matter, this flickering ability, he didn't blush the whole time, it was the same as the real thing.

If Lao Cheng didn't know about his situation, he really thought what he said was true.

The exclusive licensing fee of 20 million US dollars per year can be paid for the first time for one year and once every year. You must know that for other manufacturers, we require the first payment for five years and then for five years. If you agree, sign the contract today. If we don't agree, we don't need to talk anymore.

Huang Jiacai put away the plane ticket on his desk. He knew the size of OrthoPediatricS and couldn't ask for too high a price.

Thorin stood up: Wait, I'll make a call and give me ten minutes.

Ten minutes later, Sorin came back: Deal!

Deal! Huang Jiacai shook hands with him.

This set of equipment is ready-made and can be produced with drawings, but it has opened up a new market, which is simply a cash cow. This price is the psychologically acceptable price of OrthoPediatricS.

Sorin reported to the company, and the CEO replied directly: Take it!

The company's board of directors discussed the transaction price and set a range.