IgG4ward! Jam Video Series- Video 4 - Retroperitoneal Fibrosis

The IgG4ward! Foundation is delighted to share Dr. Paul Scheel’s Breakout Session on IgG4-related retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF). This video is part of our ongoing publication of content from the November 2024 JAM.

Dr. Scheel, a Professor of Medicine, the CEO of Washington University Physicians and the Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs at Washington University in St. Louis, shared his decades-long journey researching and treating RPF, a condition that remains largely misunderstood.

Originally trained as a nephrologist, Dr. Scheel began encountering patients who presented with masses of unknown origin located behind the abdominal cavity, near the kidneys. Although the medical literature asserted that this kind of scar tissue could never be reversed, Dr. Scheel’s transplant-inspired approach has proved otherwise. Under his treatment, the fibrotic masses associated with RPF often shrink substantially, leading to improved organ function as well as hope and healing to patients once consigned to the categories of “untreatable” and “refractory”.

In the first portion of the Breakout Session, Dr. Scheel presents a few fundamentals of RPF—explaining the condition, its complexities and potential treatments. The format then shifts to an interactive Q & A session, as he addresses questions from the audience, offering even more personalized insights into RPF.

To access the video, click below: