CAISS COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW 2026
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS
◉ Are branches of vessels coded as separate injuries? Answer: NO
(unless named/listed in descriptor)
◉ When more than one injury claims the qualifier "blood loss >
20%," the blood loss is assigned to which associated injury? Answer:
most severe
◉ Blood loss of 20% in a 100 kg patient is approximately how many
cc? Answer: 1500 cc
◉ List the four (4) types of injures defined as penetrating? Answer:
1) GSW
2) Stabbing
3) impalement
4) spearing-type
◉ Penetrating injuries that do not involve internal organs or
structures should be coded under what ISS body region? Answer:
External
,◉ A penetrating injury to the skull is coded under what ISS body
region? Answer: Head/Neck
◉ A penetrating injury to the face w/ massive destruction is coded
under what ISS body region? Answer: Face
◉ Are entry/exit wounds reflected in the severity of internal
organ/structure injuries? Answer: YES
◉ If a single penetrating injury to the brain involves more than one
structure (entry to cerebrum, exit cerebellum) do you code each
region separately? Answer: NO (use whole area section)
◉ (T/F) When a penetrating injury exists, and using the penetrating
code results in a higher AIS than using subsequent qualifiers, the
higher AIS penetrating code should be used. Answer: True
◉ Vague descriptions such as "blunt trauma" or "closed head injury"
should be assigned which AIS code? Answer: 9
◉ When assigning severity codes, the coder should use the
physicians description of the injury or the AIS definition? Answer:
AIS definition
,◉ If the physicians OIS grading differs from the AIS definition of the
injury, which should be used for coding? Answer: AIS definition
◉ If no description is available for a solid organ injury other than the
OIS grade, is it acceptable to use this information for assigning an
AIS code? Answer: YES
◉ (T/F) In order to assign an AIS code with "blood loss > 20%" you
must know to what area of the body the blood loss is linked. Answer:
TRUE
◉ Are dimensions of lesions used to determine injury severity?
Answer: YES
◉ In an adult, 100% blood volume is considered approximately how
many cc? Answer: 5000 cc
◉ (T/F) The severity of codes in AIS are NOT age adjusted in some
categories. Answer: FALSE
◉ Fractures may be best described in what type of report? Answer:
radiology
, ◉ Organ injuries may best be described in what type of report?
Answer: operative
◉ Can patient or bystander reports of LOC be used for coding
purposes? Answer: NO
◉ Which type of report is highest on the ranking of most reliable
sources of injury information? Answer: M.E./Autopsy reports
◉ List the eight (8) types of hospital/medical record reports from
highest to lowest rank in reliability of injury information. Answer: 1)
Autopsy
2) Operative
3) Radiology
4) Nursing/ICU
5) MD progress notes
6) ED record
7) D/C Summary
8) Face Sheet
◉ What is considered the least reliable source of injury information?
Answer: patient (especially LOC)
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS
◉ Are branches of vessels coded as separate injuries? Answer: NO
(unless named/listed in descriptor)
◉ When more than one injury claims the qualifier "blood loss >
20%," the blood loss is assigned to which associated injury? Answer:
most severe
◉ Blood loss of 20% in a 100 kg patient is approximately how many
cc? Answer: 1500 cc
◉ List the four (4) types of injures defined as penetrating? Answer:
1) GSW
2) Stabbing
3) impalement
4) spearing-type
◉ Penetrating injuries that do not involve internal organs or
structures should be coded under what ISS body region? Answer:
External
,◉ A penetrating injury to the skull is coded under what ISS body
region? Answer: Head/Neck
◉ A penetrating injury to the face w/ massive destruction is coded
under what ISS body region? Answer: Face
◉ Are entry/exit wounds reflected in the severity of internal
organ/structure injuries? Answer: YES
◉ If a single penetrating injury to the brain involves more than one
structure (entry to cerebrum, exit cerebellum) do you code each
region separately? Answer: NO (use whole area section)
◉ (T/F) When a penetrating injury exists, and using the penetrating
code results in a higher AIS than using subsequent qualifiers, the
higher AIS penetrating code should be used. Answer: True
◉ Vague descriptions such as "blunt trauma" or "closed head injury"
should be assigned which AIS code? Answer: 9
◉ When assigning severity codes, the coder should use the
physicians description of the injury or the AIS definition? Answer:
AIS definition
,◉ If the physicians OIS grading differs from the AIS definition of the
injury, which should be used for coding? Answer: AIS definition
◉ If no description is available for a solid organ injury other than the
OIS grade, is it acceptable to use this information for assigning an
AIS code? Answer: YES
◉ (T/F) In order to assign an AIS code with "blood loss > 20%" you
must know to what area of the body the blood loss is linked. Answer:
TRUE
◉ Are dimensions of lesions used to determine injury severity?
Answer: YES
◉ In an adult, 100% blood volume is considered approximately how
many cc? Answer: 5000 cc
◉ (T/F) The severity of codes in AIS are NOT age adjusted in some
categories. Answer: FALSE
◉ Fractures may be best described in what type of report? Answer:
radiology
, ◉ Organ injuries may best be described in what type of report?
Answer: operative
◉ Can patient or bystander reports of LOC be used for coding
purposes? Answer: NO
◉ Which type of report is highest on the ranking of most reliable
sources of injury information? Answer: M.E./Autopsy reports
◉ List the eight (8) types of hospital/medical record reports from
highest to lowest rank in reliability of injury information. Answer: 1)
Autopsy
2) Operative
3) Radiology
4) Nursing/ICU
5) MD progress notes
6) ED record
7) D/C Summary
8) Face Sheet
◉ What is considered the least reliable source of injury information?
Answer: patient (especially LOC)
