Division of Colorectal Surgery

Virgilio V. George, M.D. is a colorectal surgeon in Charleston, S.C. His primary academic and clinical focus is in the field of colorectal surgery including benign and malignant disease. Dr. George is recognized for his excellence in colorectal surgery both nationally and internationally. His clinical interests cover the range of inflammatory bowel disease: Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticular disease, colon and rectal cancer, benign anorectal disease with special interest in minimal invasive colon and rectal procedures, and transanal endoscopy microsurgery for rectal tumors.

Dr. George leads the multidisciplinary team at the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, which recently earned a three-year accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), recognizing the center's commitment to providing the best possible care for patients with the disease. Hollings is one of only 22 centers in the country to earn the accreditation and is the first in South Carolina, further highlighting the center as a national leader in treating cancers of the digestive system.

Dr. George is developing successful programs in minimally invasive colorectal surgery. This includes collaborations with the division of gastroenterology in the Department of Medicine for inflammatory bowel disease and with the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center to provide specialty surgery services in colorectal surgeries to include robotic surgical techniques.

Thomas Curran, M.D., MPH, is a fellowship trained colorectal surgeon. His clinical interests include benign anorectal conditions, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease), and colon and rectal cancer with a particular focus on minimally invasive and robotic surgical procedures. His research program focuses on comparative effectiveness and quality improvement in colon and rectal surgery. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and is active in multiple national surgical societies related to colon and rectal surgery.

Dr. Curran received his undergraduate degree from Duke University and subsequently his medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. He completed general surgery residency and research fellowship at the Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston during which time he received a Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. From there he pursued a year of specialty fellowship training in colon and rectal surgery at the University of Minnesota before joining the faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Colleen Donahue, M.D., is a fellowship trained colorectal surgeon that specializes in both benign and malignant diseases of the colon, rectum and anus. Her clinical interests include benign conditions of the anus and rectum, rectal prolapse, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer of the colon and rectum, focusing on a multidisciplinary, team-based treatment approach. Dr. Donahue is committed to the advancement of surgical education, serving as the program director of the Department of Surgery’s General Surgery Residency Program.

She earned her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine followed by General Surgery Residency at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Massachusetts. She completed her colon and rectal fellowship at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital.

Cyrus Feizpour, M.D., is a fellowship trained colon and rectal surgeon who provides expert care for patients with conditions of the colon, rectum, and anus, including colon and rectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease, rectal prolapse, and other colorectal issues.

Dr. Feizpour earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Medical Branch and completed his general surgery residency at Indiana University School of Medicine. He then completed fellowship training in colon and rectal surgery at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, one of the nation's busiest colorectal centers.

Pinckney Johnston Maxwell, M.D., is a fellowship trained colorectal surgeon who specializes in the surgical treatment of diseases of the colon, rectum and anus. He is a specialist in advanced laparoscopic colorectal surgery, using minimally invasive techniques to treat many of these diseases. He also works in close collaboration with gastroenterologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, urologists and interventional radiologists to develop multidisciplinary and individualized management strategies for his patients.

Dr. Maxwell earned his M.D. from the MUSC College of Medicine. He completed a general surgery residency at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences, and a fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia to obtain specialized training in colon and rectal surgery.

Maggie Westfal, M.D., MPH, is a fellowship-trained colon and rectal surgeon specializing in both benign and malignant diseases of the colon, rectum, and anus. Clinically she is interested in colon, rectal, and anal cancer as well as benign anorectal disease, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease, and rectal prolapse. From a surgical perspective, Dr. Westfal has been trained in all techniques of colon and rectal surgery but is specifically interested in minimally invasive and robotic approaches.

Dr. Westfal earned her medical degree and Master of Public Health degree at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. She remained in Boston for general surgery residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital where she spent three years performing clinical outcomes research and implementing the research skills that she acquired during her public health studies. Her research interests include early onset colorectal cancer, including patients with both hereditary and non-hereditary disease. She completed her fellowship training in colon and rectal surgery at Barnes Jewish Hospital/Washington University in St. Louis.