Q: My brother has been diagnosed to have liquid accumulation in neck part of the spinal cord through MRI scan. What could be the treatment for this problem? Is surgery the only way to solve this problem or medicines can help?

A:I presume you are referring to syringomyelia, where an abnormal quantity of cerebrospinal fluid collects in an expanding cavity within the spinal cord. Since this fluid presses upon normal spinal cord tissue and hampers its functions, it is likely to lead to progressive handicaps. Drugs are of little use. Surgery is the only effective means of treating this condition. Some doctors prefer to wait and watch if the disease is not progressive and is not causing significant handicap.