With a combined 54 years in the U.S. Army and as a private contractor for the military, Charles Webb has seen a lot of professionals in various positions. But after undergoing a procedure at UAB St. Vincent’s Cardiothoracic Surgery (CTS), Webb said he considers Parvez Sultan, M.D., and the CTS staff among the top professionals he’s ever encountered.
A resident of Anniston, Ala., Webb enjoys walking along the nearby Chief Ladiga Trail, a 40-mile scenic path converted from an old railway line. Last year, the 73-year-old veteran began noticing that his usual two-mile walk was becoming much more challenging.
“Over a period of months, I began struggling to hit my usual two miles on the trail,” Webb said. “I was getting a tingling sensation in my arms, then into my neck, and eventually a tightness in my chest. In the early stages, I put off getting the issue checked out, but after all those symptoms appeared, I suspected it was a real problem. I saw my physician, who diagnosed me with aortic stenosis and told me I needed treatment immediately. That led me to UAB St. Vincent’s and Dr. Sultan.”
Aortic stenosis
Aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve, the valve that allows blood to flow from the heart’s lower left chamber into the aorta and to the entire body. This narrowing prevents the valve from opening properly and forces the heart to work harder, which in turn causes pressure to build up in the lower left chamber of the heart, thickening the heart muscle. Such pressure can lead to fatigue, dizziness, and heart failure.
Like many patients with aortic stenosis, Webb underwent surgery to receive a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and aortic valve replacement. CABG is designed to improve blood flow to the heart by bypassing blocked arteries, while aortic valve replacement involves swapping the damaged or diseased valve with an artificial one.
Dr. Sultan and the CTS team successfully performed surgery on Webb in January 2025. It was only the second time he’d been hospitalized.
“I wasn’t thrilled about a hospital stay, to be honest,” Webb said. “But the staff had me confident from the moment I set foot in the building that the entire process would go well. I can’t imagine how I could have received better care, because it was excellent start to finish. They are the most professional group I’ve ever seen.”
That excellent care continued into his recovery at home. Webb developed excessive fluid buildup from his incisions, and his home health nurse promptly contacted the care team and explained the issue.
“That was the fastest doctor’s appointment I’ve ever received,” Webb said. “Within half an hour, my wife Mary and I were headed back to Birmingham. My medication was adjusted, and there was great improvement the next morning, and the problem was totally resolved within a few days.”
Letter of appreciation
Webb says he’s “back to 100%” on the hiking trail after the surgery, and he’s still volunteering as a photographer at the Anniston Army Depot for the U.S. Army’s Museum Support Center. To show his gratitude for “getting back to normal,” he wanted to thank Dr. Sultan and the entire staff for the care he received and recognize their professionalism.
So, Webb detailed his experience and appreciation in a letter, which read, in part: “The professionalism of your staff is impressive, to say the least. From the minute I stepped into your clinic for the pre-surgery exam, I had no doubt that everything was totally under control, and I knew I was in great hands. You and your amazing team saved my life, and for that, I am forever grateful.”
Click here to learn more about UAB St. Vincent’s Cardiothoracic Surgery.