In a universal transvaginal ultrasonogram cervical length screening program, the incidence of a cervical length 20 mm or less was 1.1% in women with singleton gestations without prior spontaneous preterm birth. Protocol deviations occurred in 43% of women with a cervical length less than 25 mm. The incidence of spontaneous preterm birth was similar among women undergoing transvaginal cervical length screening compared with those not screened. LEVEL OF EVIEDENCE: II.

No abstract

No abstract

This article presents a series of 49 km/h sled tests using the Hybrid III 6-year-old dummy in a high-back booster, a low-back booster, and a three-point belt. Although a 10-year review at a level I trauma center showed that noncontact cervical spine injuries are rare in correctly restrained booster-age children, dummy neck loads exceeded published injury thresholds in all tests. The dummy underwent extreme neck flexion during the test, causing full-face contact with the dummy's chest. These dummy kinematics were compared to the kinematics of a 12-year-old cadaver tested in a similar impact environment. The cadaver test showed neck flexion, but also significant thoracic spinal flexion which was nonexistent in the dummy. This comparison was expanded using MADYMO simulations in which the thoracic spinal stiffness of the dummy model was decreased to give a more biofidelic kinematic response. We conclude that the stiff thoracic spine of the dummy results in high neck forces and moments that are not representative of the true injury potential.

In this study population, side impacts resulted in more injuries to the head, cervical spine, and chest. Knowledge of this pattern-the side impact syndrome-can help guide diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategy.