Singer-songwriter Billy Joel, 76, announced he was forced to cancel his upcoming concert tour due to difficulties walking and thinking. The “Piano Man” has been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, or NPH, a condition that is often treatable and may be reversed, according to NBC News. Fortunately, there’s a new procedure developed by neurosurgeons from Tufts University in Boston that may prove effective. It’s currently in clinical trials.

The Cleveland Clinic explains that NPH is a brain condition that happens when fluid buildup inside or around the brain disrupts brain function. That can affect several brain-related abilities, including thinking and concentrating, memory, movement and more. The symptoms of NPH look very much like those of dementia, but NPH is sometimes reversible.

NPH is a relatively uncommon condition that affects only about 0.2% of people between the ages 70 and 80, and about 5.9% of people over 80. The fluid in the brain tends to take up more space as the brain shrinks with age. It’s three hallmark symptoms are characterized as “wet, wobbly and weird.” The “wet” refers to urinary incontinence, the “wobbly” describes gait instability, and the “weird” represents memory problems or confusion, says Dr. Vikram Udani, a neurosurgeon from San Diego.

Diagnosis is done by brain imaging, such as a CT scan or an MRI, to detect the buildup of fluid, along with neurological testing. Traditional treatments include implanting a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt, a tube inserted into the brain, to drain cerebrospinal fluid buildup. According to a statement posted to Joel's Instagram , Joel is expected to have physical therapy to assist with his balance issues and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.

Dr. Joseph Maroon, clinical professor in the department of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, tells Newsmax that Joel’s prognosis is good. If he does have the VP shunt, Maroon points out that within the first year shunt failure rates can range from 11% to 25%. The 10-year failure rate can approach 90% or more, often requiring revisions.

A novel, alternative treatment developed by neurosurgeons at Tufts University in Boston is called the eShunt, which is a minimally invasive procedure for NPH that involves a small incision in the leg. Surgeons then insert a catheter that travels up into the jugular vein in the neck and a small vein in the sinus to position the eShunt. This enables it to drain the excess cerebrospinal fluid back into the bloodstream.

A recent pilot study showed improvement in 97% of patients treated with no serious side effects, says Dr. Adel Malek, chief of Neurovascular Surgery at Tufts Medical Center and chief medical officer of CereVasc Inc., the company that developed the eShunt system. The procedure is still considered an investigational device by the Food and Drug Administration, and therefore is not for sale.

“I would seriously consider this procedure if I had NPH,” says Maroon. “I have seen too many complications from VP shunts.”