Medical device with selective rigidity

An expandable and compressible medical device for obtaining selective rigidity with respect to a patient, comprising:

• an elongate flexible catheter that extends between a distal end portion and a proximal end portion with a first lumen disposed through the catheter, and a second lumen that extends through a catheter wall into the distal end portion, wherein the distal end portion of the catheter wall is an expandable portion;
• the catheter wall comprises a first layer that defines an inner surface of the first lumen and a second layer disposed radially outside of the first layer, and wherein the first and second layers are sealed together proximate to a distal tip of the catheter, and an interface is established between the first and second layers, wherein the interface is established within a volume bounded by the first layer, the second layer, and locations where the first and second layers are sealed together, the interface is located within the expandable portion of the catheter wall;
• and
• further comprising a retention member disposed within the interface between the first and second layers within the distal end portion, and wherein the second lumen is fluidly connected with the interface,
• wherein the retention member is configured to be aligned in a dense configuration under an influence of a vacuum force applied to the interface via the second lumen, wherein the retention member is biased to expand to a less dense configuration when the interface is at atmospheric pressure,
• wherein at least a portion of a surface of one or both of the first and second layers that establish the interface is a sticky portion, and the sticky portion is configured to releasably stick to other portions of the interface under the influence of the vacuum force.