Peter Houghton

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Peter Houghton
Born	20 August 1938
Died	25 November 2007 (aged 69) Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, England.
Occupation	Psychotherapist
Known for	Patient with a left ventricular assist device
Spouse	Diane
Children	None

Peter Houghton (20 August 1938 – 25 November 2007), was the longest surviving artificial heart transplant patient in the UK.^[1][2]

Houghton was implanted with a Jarvik 2000 heart pump at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, England, by professor Stephen Westaby, on 20 June 2000 owing to severe heart failure. Since the operation, the left ventricular assist device has worked continuously supporting his heart, breaking the previous world duration record on 11 August 2004 at 1,513 days.^[3]

The record represents the survival of both the person and the artificial heart. A few individuals have lived longer than 1,512 days but with two artificial hearts, having the first surgically replaced due to failure or wear.

Houghton was the first person in the world to be given an artificial heart for permanent use rather than as a bridge to transplantation.

An educated psychotherapist, Houghton has written a book, "The World Within Me," in which he contemplates how receiving the transplant challenges his devout Catholicism. He also reports that, ironically, the heart transplant has left him largely devoid of emotion.^[4]

He died on 25 November 2007 at Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital at the age of 69 years. The cause of death was given as multiple organ failure.^[5]

[edit] References

Persondata
NAME	Houghton, Peter
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Longest surviving artificial heart transplant patient in the UK
DATE OF BIRTH	20 August 1938
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH	25 November 2007
PLACE OF DEATH	Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, England.