Patent ID: 7011640

Claim:
An orthopedic device for treatment of a body portion including a joint comprising: an inner sleeve to surround the body portion; a first cuff for attachment to the body portion on the inner sleeve adjacent the joint; a second cuff for attachment to the body portion on the inner sleeve adjacent the joint and opposite to the first cuff; and at least one hinge for positioning adjacent an axis of the joint and connecting the first and second cuffs together; each of the first and second cuffs comprising an inner rigid wall for placement towards the body portion and including at least one hole therein; an outer rigid wall carried by the inner wall and defining a vacuum reservoir therebetween; a sealing gasket around a periphery of the inner rigid wall adjacent the inner sleeve; and a wick layer carried by the inner rigid wall within the periphery thereof adjacent the inner sleeve to define, with the sealing gasket, a vacuum interface area in fluid communication with the vacuum reservoir via the at least one hole; and a valve carried by the outer rigid wall for evacuating the vacuum reservoir and the vacuum interface area.