CAISS CERTIFICATIONSTUDT GUIDE EXAM
2026 UPDATE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
VERIFIED ANSWERS ALREADY GRADED A+
(BRAND NEW VISION)
rupture, transection, segmental loss, complete circumferential
involvement, blood loss >20% - ANS-major vessel laceration
A muscle tear, rupture, or avulsion is also known as a ____________. - ANS-
laceration
Blood loss of > 20% is approximately how many cc? - ANS-> 1000 cc
subtotal loss of function (assumed to be due to contusion) - ANS-nerve
paresis (palsy)
total loss of function (assumed to be due to laceration) - ANS-nerve
paralysis
When there is any question about the severity of an injury based upon all
available information the coder should chose the __________ severe AIS
code in that category. - ANS-least
Brain death/blindness are consequences of injury and can or cannot be
coded? - ANS-cannot
Is a foreign body considered and injury in and of itself? - ANS-NO
(cannot code)
(T/F) Bilateral injures of kidneys, eyes, ears, and extremities are typically
codes as separate injuries (with some exceptions). - ANS-TRUE
,(T/F) Multiple fractures to the same bone but in different areas are coded
separately. - ANS-TRUE
(T/F) If multiple fractures to a single bone exist but are not specified as to
location, they are coded as a single injury. - ANS-TRUE
If a specific skin lesion is unknown or not required, what AIS code is
assigned? - ANS-910000.1 (Soft Tissue Injury NFS)
When a "crush" code is used, are the separate underlying injuries coded
separately as well? - ANS-NO
The term "transection" should be coded as complete or incomplete? -
ANS-complete
(T/F) When a vessel injury and related organ injury occur together, if the
descriptor includes the vessel injury in the organ injury descriptor it
should still be coded separately. - ANS-FALSE (do not code vessel
injury separately if included in organ injury descriptor)
Are branches of vessels coded as separate injuries? - ANS-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? - ANS-most severe
Blood loss of 20% in a 100 kg patient is approximately how many cc? -
ANS-1500 cc
List the four (4) types of injures defined as penetrating? - ANS-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? - ANS-External
A penetrating injury to the skull is coded under what ISS body region? -
ANS-Head/Neck
A penetrating injury to the face w/ massive destruction is coded under
what ISS body region? - ANS-Face
Are entry/exit wounds reflected in the severity of internal organ/structure
injuries? - ANS-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?
- ANS-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. - ANS-True
Vague descriptions such as "blunt trauma" or "closed head injury" should
be assigned which AIS code? - ANS-9
When assigning severity codes, the coder should use the physicians
description of the injury or the AIS definition? - ANS-AIS definition
If the physicians OIS grading differs from the AIS definition of the injury,
which should be used for coding? - ANS-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? -
ANS-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. - ANS-TRUE
Are dimensions of lesions used to determine injury severity? - ANS-YES
In an adult, 100% blood volume is considered approximately how many
cc? - ANS-5000 cc
(T/F) The severity of codes in AIS are NOT age adjusted in some
categories. - ANS-FALSE
Fractures may be best described in what type of report? - ANS-radiology
Organ injuries may best be described in what type of report? - ANS-
operative
Can patient or bystander reports of LOC be used for coding purposes? -
ANS-NO
Which type of report is highest on the ranking of most reliable sources of
injury information? - ANS-M.E./Autopsy reports
List the eight (8) types of hospital/medical record reports from highest to
lowest rank in reliability of injury information. - ANS-1) Autopsy
2) Operative
3) Radiology
4) Nursing/ICU
5) MD progress notes
6) ED record
7) D/C Summary
2026 UPDATE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
VERIFIED ANSWERS ALREADY GRADED A+
(BRAND NEW VISION)
rupture, transection, segmental loss, complete circumferential
involvement, blood loss >20% - ANS-major vessel laceration
A muscle tear, rupture, or avulsion is also known as a ____________. - ANS-
laceration
Blood loss of > 20% is approximately how many cc? - ANS-> 1000 cc
subtotal loss of function (assumed to be due to contusion) - ANS-nerve
paresis (palsy)
total loss of function (assumed to be due to laceration) - ANS-nerve
paralysis
When there is any question about the severity of an injury based upon all
available information the coder should chose the __________ severe AIS
code in that category. - ANS-least
Brain death/blindness are consequences of injury and can or cannot be
coded? - ANS-cannot
Is a foreign body considered and injury in and of itself? - ANS-NO
(cannot code)
(T/F) Bilateral injures of kidneys, eyes, ears, and extremities are typically
codes as separate injuries (with some exceptions). - ANS-TRUE
,(T/F) Multiple fractures to the same bone but in different areas are coded
separately. - ANS-TRUE
(T/F) If multiple fractures to a single bone exist but are not specified as to
location, they are coded as a single injury. - ANS-TRUE
If a specific skin lesion is unknown or not required, what AIS code is
assigned? - ANS-910000.1 (Soft Tissue Injury NFS)
When a "crush" code is used, are the separate underlying injuries coded
separately as well? - ANS-NO
The term "transection" should be coded as complete or incomplete? -
ANS-complete
(T/F) When a vessel injury and related organ injury occur together, if the
descriptor includes the vessel injury in the organ injury descriptor it
should still be coded separately. - ANS-FALSE (do not code vessel
injury separately if included in organ injury descriptor)
Are branches of vessels coded as separate injuries? - ANS-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? - ANS-most severe
Blood loss of 20% in a 100 kg patient is approximately how many cc? -
ANS-1500 cc
List the four (4) types of injures defined as penetrating? - ANS-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? - ANS-External
A penetrating injury to the skull is coded under what ISS body region? -
ANS-Head/Neck
A penetrating injury to the face w/ massive destruction is coded under
what ISS body region? - ANS-Face
Are entry/exit wounds reflected in the severity of internal organ/structure
injuries? - ANS-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?
- ANS-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. - ANS-True
Vague descriptions such as "blunt trauma" or "closed head injury" should
be assigned which AIS code? - ANS-9
When assigning severity codes, the coder should use the physicians
description of the injury or the AIS definition? - ANS-AIS definition
If the physicians OIS grading differs from the AIS definition of the injury,
which should be used for coding? - ANS-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? -
ANS-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. - ANS-TRUE
Are dimensions of lesions used to determine injury severity? - ANS-YES
In an adult, 100% blood volume is considered approximately how many
cc? - ANS-5000 cc
(T/F) The severity of codes in AIS are NOT age adjusted in some
categories. - ANS-FALSE
Fractures may be best described in what type of report? - ANS-radiology
Organ injuries may best be described in what type of report? - ANS-
operative
Can patient or bystander reports of LOC be used for coding purposes? -
ANS-NO
Which type of report is highest on the ranking of most reliable sources of
injury information? - ANS-M.E./Autopsy reports
List the eight (8) types of hospital/medical record reports from highest to
lowest rank in reliability of injury information. - ANS-1) Autopsy
2) Operative
3) Radiology
4) Nursing/ICU
5) MD progress notes
6) ED record
7) D/C Summary
