Herat failure patients who are in desperate need of a transplant but who are not eligible for one have a new route to continued life, now that the FDA have approved the sale of the first fully implantable artificial hearts. The mechanical devices completely replace the original organ; power top-ups can be transferred through the skin, recharging a battery stashed in the abdomen and enabling an hour or so away from an external energy source. The devices are only approved for those with no other chance of survival, though, and at a cost of $250,000 they will probably remain the province of the well-insured for some time to come.