The Department of Plastic Surgery in our hospital uses compression stockings as a preventive measure against deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Elastic bandages are also used in patients with bone protrusion, skin lesions, or with no size-matched stockings. However, elastic bandages are associated with problems such as inconsistent compression force, ready loss of compression, and local skin lesions due to compression. Therefore, to address these problems, we developed a new bandaging technique by layering different types of bandages (multi-layer bandages), evaluated changes in compression using a measurement device, and examined skin condition after 6 h. On average, the compression of elastic bandages and multi-layer bandages decreased by 52% and 37.4%, respectively, after 6 h (t-test, P = 0.036). Skin wrinkles were finer with the multi-layer bandages. These results suggest that multi-layer bandages are less likely to loosen and that cast paddings prevent bandages from compressing the same local areas. However, because previous research warns of using elastic bandages as an easy way to prevent DVT, it is important to acquire accurate knowledge and master skills for bandaging with proper compression.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although studies using conventional animal models have shown that specific stressors cause irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), it is unclear whether depression itself causes IBS. Our aim was to establish a rat model to determine if depression itself promotes the onset of IBS and to elucidate the role of gut microbiota in brain-gut axis pathogenesis during coincident depression and IBS. METHODS: Rat models of depression were induced using our shuttle box method of learned helplessness. Visceral hypersensitivity was evaluated by colorectal distension (CRD) to diagnose IBS. Gut microbiota compositions were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. In the subanalysis of rats without depression-like symptoms, rats with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were also examined. RESULTS: The threshold value of CRD in depressed rats was significantly lower than that in control rats. Microbial community analysis of cecal microbiota showed that the relative abundance of Clostridiales incertae sedis, the most prevalent microbe, was significantly lower in depressed rats than in control rats. The distribution pattern of the microbiota clearly differed between depressed rats and control rats. Neither visceral hypersensitivity nor the composition of gut microbiota was altered in rats with PTSD-like phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: Our rat model of depression is useful for clarifying the effect of depression on IBS and suggests that depression itself, rather than specific stressors, promotes the onset of IBS. Further, we provided evidence that various psychiatric diseases, viz., depression and PTSD, are associated with unique gut microbiota profiles, which could differentially affect the onset and progression of coincident IBS.
Animals ; Clostridiales ; Depression ; Dysbiosis ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Helplessness, Learned ; Hypersensitivity ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Methods ; Microbiota ; Models, Animal ; Phenotype ; Rats ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic