| CPC A61F 5/34 (2013.01) [A61F 5/0106 (2013.01); A61F 5/0111 (2013.01)] | 24 Claims |

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1. An apparatus for applying a lifting force to a tissue site of a patient, the apparatus comprising: an occlusive layer configured to be sealed to the patient around the tissue site to define a chamber; a decompression layer disposed within the chamber defined by the occlusive layer at a location proximate the tissue site, the decompression layer a compressible fabric defining one or more channels therethrough; and a connector provided along the occlusive layer, the connector configured to fluidly couple the chamber to a vacuum source; wherein, the decompression layer comprises a center of stiffness located closer to an upper surface of the decompression layer facing away from the tissue site than to a lower surface of the decompression layer facing the tissue site such that upon operation of the vacuum source, the decompression layer is configured to compress in a direction away from the tissue site, and wherein the center of stiffness is not provided by a coating stiffener.
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