Marga F. Massey, MD, FACS

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Physicians & Surgeons, Plastic & Reconstructive

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(866) 466-0962Visit WebsiteMap & Directions125 Doughty StCharleston, SC 29403 Write a Review

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Additional Specialties: General Surgery, Plastic Surgery

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Extra Phones: TollFree: (866) 446-0962
Location: Roper Medical Office Bldg
Other Link: http://drmarga.com
Category: Physicians & Surgeons, Plastic & Reconstructive
Other Information: Specialties: General Surgery, Plastic Surgery

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Phone: (866) 466-0962

Address: 125 Doughty St, Charleston, SC 29403

Website: http://drmarga.com

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Marga F. Massey, MD, FACS

General Practitioners

Medical Weight Loss
Patients with poor skin quality, history of smoking or presenting with profound ptosis after massive weight loss may require “staging”
Primary Care
Patients with stable self-breast exams may present with concerning radiographic findings in the setting of a screening mammogram. Your Breast Radiologist may relate that you may have microcalcifications or contour irregularities that prompt further evaluation by a Diagnostic Mammogram (DM) and breast Ultra Sound (US). This is how many women with no changes in their self-exam nor on physical examination by their primary care physician present with breast cancer.
Emergency Care
You will have Dr. Marga’s direct line for urgent care issues and her email for less time sensitive questions or concerns.

Cancer Care
Breast cancer care and survival does not have to be impersonal, isolating or unattractive. At Breast Health & Beauty, we strive to evaluate and treat each patient uniquely. We take into consideration individual health care issues along with an individual’s beliefs, culture, family aspirations, job requirements, love of sports, involvement in hobbies and personal aesthetic norms.

Anxiety

MRI
When you elect to proceed with Breast Conservation, you likely have been diagnosed with breast cancer based on a fine needle aspiration of a palpable breast mass or core needle biopsy as guided by ultra sound, mammogram or MRI. Once the cancer diagnosis is made from a small biopsy, the larger abnormal area of the breast is then surgically removed and defined as a lumpectomy while the healthy regions of the breast are left unharmed. The breast tissue removed during lumpectomy is evaluated by our board-certified Pathologists to evaluate the type of cancer that may be present. The margins of the lumpectomy are examined to ensure that all of the cancer has been removed. You may additionally undergo removal of several lymph nodes at the time of your lumpectomy to determine if cancer has moved into the lymph nodes under your arm. Only a small number of lymph nodes are removed as a means to reduce your risk of lymphedema or swelling of the arm and hand after surgery. This limited removal of lymph nodes is known as a sentinel lymph node biopsy and is guided by an injected radioactive isotope and/or blue dye. Special testing is performed on the breast tissue and lymph nodes removed in the operating room to understand the unique nature of a given cancer. Some test results return within days of surgery while others may require up to 3 weeks (Oncotype
Radiology
Several clinical scenarios prompt an open surgical biopsy of a breast abnormality known as a “breast lumpectomy”. Often times a Fine Needle Guidewire is placed either by our Radiology Physicians using mammographic guidance or in the Operating Room using ultra sound guidance by specialty-trained breast surgeons. The tip of the guidewire is placed adjacent to the area of concern within the breast that can’t be appreciated simply on physical examination. Every attempt is made to keep you as comfortable as possible during all aspects of the procedure.
Mammography
Given the choice for annual Screening Mammography (SM). Women ages 45-54, independent of risk, are recommended to proceed with scheduled SM annually in addition to a physician-directed breast exam. Women age 55 or older may consider SM every two years but may continue to elect to continue annual SM with both options being paid for by all forms of US health insurance.
Chemotherapy
Patients recently diagnosed with breast cancer are overwhelmed with information regarding surgical treatment options and medical healthcare to include chemotherapy and radiation.
Radiation Therapy
Offered referral to an experienced breast plastic surgical expert prior to lumpectomy for diagnosis nor for treatment for a breast cancer prior to breast conserving radiation. Shortly after lumpectomy, the lumpectomy cavity fills with fluid and the breast appears unchanged. Its only after time that the fluid dissipates, and the breast appears dented, contracted and deformed from either a disproportionately large lumpectomy or from the combination of lumpectomy and radiation therapy.

General Surgery
All forms of breast reconstructive surgery are covered by US health insurance companies as is defined by the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) of 1998 (www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Programs-and-Initiatives/Other-Insurance-Protections/whcra_factsheet.html). Further, surgery on the contra-lateral breast for symmetry and for the treatment of complications of breast cancer care are also federally mandated surgical services available to women recovering from breast cancer care.
Reconstructive Surgery
Of a breast lift procedure. Skin is reduced during the initial surgery and volume with fat grafting or a breast implant is added thereafter during a second surgery. The goal of staging a complex breast lift is to reduce the possible risk of a wound healing complication or necrosis and permanent loss of the nipple and areola requiring reconstructive surgery.

Plastic Surgeons

Botox
A key component to the best aesthetic outcome from breast cancer surgical treatment and radiation is the involvement of a board-certified Plastic Surgeon with additional training and focused clinical expertise in breast cancer care. Few ABPS Board-Certified Plastic Surgeons focus solely on breast cancer reconstruction as their practice most often includes cosmetic surgery of the face, botox/filler injections, laser treatments and liposuction. Plastic surgeons with specialized and focused training in oncologic breast reconstruction are better able to provide patients with an overview of the long-term consequences of radiation to the retained breast without an oncoplastic intervention at the time of lumpectomy. Further, early expert-directed education provides patients with information regarding ALL forms of breast reconstruction including simpler breast implants or more sophisticated natural breast reconstruction using microsurgical fat flaps in the setting of a total mastectomy.
Liposuction
Dr. Marga is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon with a focus on Pro-Active Lymphedema Care and all forms of Lymphatic Surgery to include Vascularized Lymph Node Transfers (VLNTx), Lymphovenous Anastamosis (LVA) and Volume Reduction Liposuction. She is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist and has served on the Medical Advisory Committee of the National Lymphedema Network. Her clinical commitment to the care of lymphedema patients extends for more than a decade in the Low Country of South Carolina.
Breast Augmentation
Cosmetic breast augmentation is a very common request of many women in America today. Much technology has been developed since its first introduction 50-years ago. Breast augmentation can be safely completed by breast implants or the use of fat grafting as defined by Best Practice Guidelines from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Breast Reduction
Breast reduction surgery can be completed using a variety of incisions to include a traditional “inverted-T” or “anchor” incision formally referred to as a Wise Pattern Inferior Pedicle Design. More sophisticated approaches limit the incision along the inframammary fold and are referred to as Vertical Pattern Reductions. Both methods can be used to relocate the nipple and areola to a more youthful position on the central breast. The diameter of a widened areola is additionally reduced to a diameter of 3.5 to 4.0 cm. All attempts are made to focus on the best method that will result in the most attractive breast possible after surgery.
Breast Lift
All patients interested in breast lift surgeries should be abstinent from all tobacco or nicotine replacement products for a minimum of 3-months prior to surgery.
Breast Reconstruction
Approximately 85% of breast reconstruction in the United States is completed using a silicone or saline filled breast implant. Given the technical ease and brevity of the surgical procedure and limited surgical incisions, this method is common for women of all ages, all body shapes and with all types of additional medical conditions.
Plastic Surgery
She was a Howard Hughes Academic Scholar and served as a Duke University General Surgical Chief Resident under the direction of Dr. David Sabiston. Dr. Marga completed her Plastic Surgery and Microsurgical Oncologic post-graduate training at the University of California in San Francisco and at the historic Buncke Microsurgery Clinic. Her subsequent academic career includes an appointment at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah during which time she was funded by the National Institutes of Health and was a BIRWCH Scholar. She has published numerous articles in the field of breast surgery and lymphatic reconstruction and has served in advisory positions for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the National Lymphedema Network. She is board certified in Plastic Surgery and has been credentialed as a Certified Lymphedema Therapist by the Norton School of Lymphatic therapy.
Face Lift
You would not want an orthopedic surgeon to perform heart bypass surgery on your mother, so why consult a facelift surgeon to manage your breast cancer?
Abdominoplasty
The most common natural microsurgical breast reconstruction technique utilizes fat from the lower abdomen. Aesthetically designed just as one would for an abdominoplasty or “tummy tuck”, the DIEP (Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap) or SIEA (Superficial Inferior Epigastric Artery Flap) can be used to reconstruct one or two breasts after mastectomy. For profoundly thin patients, both sides of the abdomen can be combined in order to achieve enough volume – this is known as “stacking” flaps. Other “natural” donor site areas include the upper hips ( SGAP flap ), lower buttocks ( IGAP flap ), lateral thigh ( ALT flap ), posterior thigh ( PAP flap ), inner thigh ( TUG flap ), back ( TDAP flap ) or anteriorly adjacent to the pelvic bones ( DCIP flap ). These too can be stacked to optimize the size of the final reconstruction.
Body Lift
Massive weight loss patients should maintain a goal weight for a minimum of 6-months prior to proceeding with breast lift surgery. Many elect to undergo lower body lift surgery as an initial surgical intervention after massive weight loss prior to proceeding with breast surgery combined with upper arm rejuvenation.
Breast Surgery
Marga F. Massey, MD, CLT, FACS, (“Dr. Marga”) is the founder of The Dr. Marga Practice Group, a Charleston based boutique plastic surgical practice dedicated to aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery.
Cosmetic Surgery

Cyst
Lesions
Changes in the internal contour of your breast can either present as a self-discovered new or enlarging “lump” or “mass” discovered by your physician. Typical evaluation of a changing breast exam includes a DM and breast US. Benign, non-cancerous lesions as cysts or fibroadenomas have characteristic radiographic findings. Many radiographic abnormalities as these do prompt an intervention for confirmation of the correct benign diagnosis. Cysts are easily aspirated and the fluid is sent to pathology to confirm the lack of a malignancy. Solid masses can be biopsied using small – Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) or larger Core Needle Biopsy (CNB) needles either under direct palpation by your physician or with guidance by mammography or ultra sound. More advanced imaging or biopsy guided by Breast MRI may be required. These types of studies can cause anxiety and worry for most patients. Regretfully, many are not scheduled on the same day and waiting for results is a challenge.
Rashes
Skin Care
Patients electing to proceed with breast conservation undergo whole breast radiation therapy to complete their cancer care after lumpectomy. Whole breast radiation is given to lumpectomy patients to reduce the chances that cancer will recur in the preserved breast or in the remaining lymph nodes under your arm. Whole breast radiation therapy most commonly occurs after chemotherapy if required. Radiation is delivered over 6 weeks under the direction of a Radiation Oncologist from your local medical community. You will be offered education regarding skin care and proactive lymphedema care at our center throughout all of your ongoing cancer care after lumpectomy.

Physical Therapists

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