Generally, inflatable medical devices are introduced into closed circulatory system vertebrates and invertebrates in their uninflated form and are inflated when they reach the site of interest. Balloon catheters are examples of inflatable devices. A balloon catheter is a type of catheter which is bendable and has an inflatable balloon at its tip. These catheters may be used to enlarge a narrow opening or passage within the body. The catheter is advanced in a subject's blood vessel so that the balloon is in the correct position. The uninflated balloon is then inflated to perform the necessary procedure, and then deflated in order to be removed from the subject's blood vessel. When balloon catheters are inflated, they can occlude the opening or passage in which they are placed. Such an occlusion is generally temporary. Occasionally, it is necessary to inflate an element of a medical device that is not co-linear with the inflation lumen connecting the inflatable element to the operator. In such an arrangement, the inflatable element is set at an angle from the axis of the supporting catheter. When inflated, for the device to function properly, a relatively rigid, fixed orientation between the catheter body and the inflatable element must be achieved and maintained. In particular, this is true of medical devices which incorporate an inflatable toroid element in order to perform a particular function. Such toroids are typically fixed perpendicularly to the supporting catheter, and must be maintained in this orientation to function properly. Other devices with inflatable elements may also require that an inflatable element be disposed at an angle with relation to the supporting catheter. In each such instance, it is crucial that a structure exists to rigidly maintain this orientation. However, such a structure has not been described in the prior art.
It would therefore be desirable for an insertable, inflatable medical device to have a stable junction point through which an inflation fluid may pass and inflate an element which is not co-linear with the axis of inflation. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for such a structure that maintains a rigid orientation between an inflatable element and a catheter body, as one does not presently exist in the art.