A man fitted with the world's first artificial heart at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital has died.
Peter Houghton, who was close to death in 2000, was given a new lease of life when surgeon Steve Westaby implanted the pioneering Jarvic 2000 in his failing heart.
But seven-and-a-half years after his life-saving operation, the 68-year-old, from Edgbaston, Birmingham, has died.
The former psychotherapist suffered suspected multiple organ dysfunction.
He spent the last two months in a nursing home as his health deteriorated.
The operation to implant the Jarvik pump cost £50,000 and took 14 hours, with 34 units of blood required to keep him alive.
Inventor Dr Robert Jarvik flew over from the US to witness the operation.
Mr Houghton was the world's longest-surviving artificial heart transplant patient.
The heart was powered by a battery pack he had to carry around with him.
Mr Houghton and his wife Diane had fostered 11 children.
He wrote two books about his case - and raised £1.5m for Heart Research UK.
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