WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Surgeon admits to crack use in the Midlands

SOUTH CAROLINA (WMBF) - A surgeon practicing medicine along the Grand Strand has turned in his license in Pennsylvania after admitting to crack use in the Midlands.

Dr. Steven Matzinger, a certified general and vascular surgeon at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, voluntarily withdrew his license in Pennsylvania in September after temporarily losing his license in South Carolina.

Documents from the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners reveals Matzinger admitted to using cocaine twice a week at his residence or at a friend's house over a 12 month period while practicing medicine in the Midlands. Matzinger, however, was said not to be addicted to the drug or any other substance.

Matzinger enrolled into an intensive outpatient program in July 2007, where he attended 23 sessions.

The Grand Strand doctor formerly practiced at the Newberry County Memorial Hospital, where the SCBME alleged Matzinger "behaved disruptively by leaving an operating room while operating on a patient" on Feb. 22, 2006. Matzinger did not return to the operation room for approximately 30 minutes.

Following the incident, the medical board ordered the doctor to enroll in an anger management course for six months and participate in the South Carolina Recovering Professional Program for a minimum of five years. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 in connection to the incident.

Matzinger was unavailable for comment.

©2009 WMBF News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.