A breakthrough in cardiac care has arrived in central Illinois. SIU Medicine cardiologist Ahmad Al Turk, MD , assisted by Abdul Moiz Hafiz, MD and Abhishek Kulkarni, MD , recently performed the first BASILICA procedure at Springfield Memorial Hospital, bringing new hope to patients with complex heart conditions. BASILICA is an innovative technique designed to make transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) safer. TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure used to replace a failing heart valve, but for some patients, it carries a serious risk of coronary artery blockage. BASILICA helps prevent