CAISS EXAM 2026 Updated Version
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | Complete
Test Bank with Rationales | Grade A+
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Question 1 The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) severity score for a "critical" injury is:
A. 3
B. 4
C. 5 [CORRECT]
D. 6
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The AIS severity scale is: 1 = Minor, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Serious, 4 = Severe, 5 =
Critical, 6 = Maximal (currently untreatable). Critical injuries (AIS 5) have a high probability of
death but are potentially survivable with optimal care. Option A is Serious, B is Severe, and D is
Maximal.
Question 2 An AIS score of 6 indicates:
A. Minor injury
B. Moderate injury
C. Critical injury
D. Maximal injury (currently untreatable) [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: AIS 6 represents a maximal injury that is currently untreatable and invariably fatal
(e.g., massive liver disruption, high cervical cord transection, severe brain stem injury). This
differs from AIS 5 (critical), which is survivable with optimal care. Options A, B, and C
represent lower severity levels that are potentially survivable.
Question 3 The AIS code is a 7-digit number. The first digit represents:
A. Severity
B. Body region [CORRECT]
,C. Type of anatomic structure
D. Specific anatomic structure
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The 7-digit AIS code format is: Digit 1 = Body region (1=Head, 2=Face, 3=Neck,
4=Thorax, 5=Abdomen, 6=Spine, 7=Upper Extremity, 8=Lower Extremity, 9=External and
other). Digit 2 = Type of anatomic structure. Digits 3-4 = Specific anatomic structure. Digit 5 =
Level. Digits 6-7 = Severity. Severity is the last two digits, not the first.
Question 4 When a patient has multiple injuries to the same body region, the AIS coding rule for
ISS calculation is to:
A. Code all injuries separately
B. Code only the most severe injury in that region [CORRECT]
C. Code the average severity of all injuries
D. Code only the first injury documented
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: For ISS calculation, only the most severe injury in each body region is used.
However, for trauma registry completeness, all injuries should be coded. Coding all injuries
separately (A) would incorrectly inflate the ISS. Averaging (C) is not an AIS convention. Coding
only the first injury (D) risks missing the most severe injury.
Question 5 A patient has bilateral pulmonary contusions. How should this be coded for AIS
purposes?
A. Code as a single injury with bilateral specification [CORRECT]
B. Code as two separate injuries in the same region
C. Code only the more severe side
D. Apply a bilateral modifier that increases severity by 1 level
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: AIS allows coding of bilateral injuries as a single code with laterality specified. The
severity reflects the combined effect of the bilateral injury. Coding as two separate injuries (B)
would violate the "single most severe injury per region" rule for ISS calculation. Option C loses
information, and Option D is not an AIS convention.
Question 6 Which statement about the AIS dictionary is correct?
,A. It is updated every 10 years
B. The most recent version is AIS 2015
C. AIS 2025 represents the current standard for 2026 certification [CORRECT]
D. Codes are never revised between versions
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: AIS 2025 is the current standard for 2026 CAISS certification. The AIS dictionary is
periodically updated (not strictly every 10 years). AIS 2015 (B) is outdated. Codes are frequently
revised between versions (D) as medical understanding evolves.
Question 7 The "single most severe injury" rule applies to:
A. All injuries in the entire body
B. Injuries within each body region for ISS calculation [CORRECT]
C. Only head injuries
D. Only extremity injuries
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The rule applies to injuries within each body region when calculating ISS. Only the
highest AIS score from each region contributes to ISS. This prevents multiple injuries in one
region from disproportionately affecting the score. Options A, C, and D misrepresent the rule.
Question 8 Laterality in AIS coding (right vs. left) is:
A. Always ignored
B. Coded when it affects severity or treatment [CORRECT]
C. Only coded for extremity injuries
D. Automatically increases severity by 1 point
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Laterality is coded when clinically relevant to severity or treatment. It is not ignored
(A), and it's not limited to extremities (C). Laterality does not automatically increase severity
(D); the severity reflects the actual anatomical damage.
Question 9 A patient has a superficial abrasion of the forehead. What is the appropriate AIS
severity?
A. 1 [CORRECT]
B. 2
, C. 3
D. 4
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Superficial abrasions without significant tissue loss are AIS 1 (Minor). They require
minimal treatment and have excellent prognosis. Options B, C, and D are too severe for this
minor external injury.
Question 10 Which of the following is NOT one of the six body regions used for ISS
calculation?
A. Head and Neck
B. Face
C. Thorax
D. Upper Extremity only [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The six ISS body regions are: (1) Head and Neck, (2) Face, (3) Chest (Thorax), (4)
Abdomen and Pelvic Viscera, (5) Extremities and Pelvic Girdle, and (6) External. "Upper
Extremity only" (D) is incorrect because extremities are combined with pelvic girdle into one
region, not separated by upper and lower for ISS purposes.
Question 11 Penetrating trauma coding differs from blunt trauma coding in that:
A. Penetrating injuries are always coded higher severity
B. The same anatomical injury receives the same AIS regardless of mechanism [CORRECT]
C. Penetrating injuries are never coded
D. Mechanism changes the body region
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: AIS codes describe anatomical injury severity, not mechanism. The same anatomical
disruption receives the same AIS whether from blunt or penetrating trauma. However,
penetrating trauma may cause different patterns of injury that affect code selection. Options A, C,
and D are incorrect.
Question 12 For pediatric patients, AIS coding:
A. Uses a completely different scale
B. Applies the same anatomical criteria with consideration for age-related differences
[CORRECT]
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | Complete
Test Bank with Rationales | Grade A+
Assured | Pass Guaranteed - A+ Graded
Question 1 The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) severity score for a "critical" injury is:
A. 3
B. 4
C. 5 [CORRECT]
D. 6
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The AIS severity scale is: 1 = Minor, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Serious, 4 = Severe, 5 =
Critical, 6 = Maximal (currently untreatable). Critical injuries (AIS 5) have a high probability of
death but are potentially survivable with optimal care. Option A is Serious, B is Severe, and D is
Maximal.
Question 2 An AIS score of 6 indicates:
A. Minor injury
B. Moderate injury
C. Critical injury
D. Maximal injury (currently untreatable) [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: AIS 6 represents a maximal injury that is currently untreatable and invariably fatal
(e.g., massive liver disruption, high cervical cord transection, severe brain stem injury). This
differs from AIS 5 (critical), which is survivable with optimal care. Options A, B, and C
represent lower severity levels that are potentially survivable.
Question 3 The AIS code is a 7-digit number. The first digit represents:
A. Severity
B. Body region [CORRECT]
,C. Type of anatomic structure
D. Specific anatomic structure
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The 7-digit AIS code format is: Digit 1 = Body region (1=Head, 2=Face, 3=Neck,
4=Thorax, 5=Abdomen, 6=Spine, 7=Upper Extremity, 8=Lower Extremity, 9=External and
other). Digit 2 = Type of anatomic structure. Digits 3-4 = Specific anatomic structure. Digit 5 =
Level. Digits 6-7 = Severity. Severity is the last two digits, not the first.
Question 4 When a patient has multiple injuries to the same body region, the AIS coding rule for
ISS calculation is to:
A. Code all injuries separately
B. Code only the most severe injury in that region [CORRECT]
C. Code the average severity of all injuries
D. Code only the first injury documented
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: For ISS calculation, only the most severe injury in each body region is used.
However, for trauma registry completeness, all injuries should be coded. Coding all injuries
separately (A) would incorrectly inflate the ISS. Averaging (C) is not an AIS convention. Coding
only the first injury (D) risks missing the most severe injury.
Question 5 A patient has bilateral pulmonary contusions. How should this be coded for AIS
purposes?
A. Code as a single injury with bilateral specification [CORRECT]
B. Code as two separate injuries in the same region
C. Code only the more severe side
D. Apply a bilateral modifier that increases severity by 1 level
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: AIS allows coding of bilateral injuries as a single code with laterality specified. The
severity reflects the combined effect of the bilateral injury. Coding as two separate injuries (B)
would violate the "single most severe injury per region" rule for ISS calculation. Option C loses
information, and Option D is not an AIS convention.
Question 6 Which statement about the AIS dictionary is correct?
,A. It is updated every 10 years
B. The most recent version is AIS 2015
C. AIS 2025 represents the current standard for 2026 certification [CORRECT]
D. Codes are never revised between versions
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: AIS 2025 is the current standard for 2026 CAISS certification. The AIS dictionary is
periodically updated (not strictly every 10 years). AIS 2015 (B) is outdated. Codes are frequently
revised between versions (D) as medical understanding evolves.
Question 7 The "single most severe injury" rule applies to:
A. All injuries in the entire body
B. Injuries within each body region for ISS calculation [CORRECT]
C. Only head injuries
D. Only extremity injuries
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The rule applies to injuries within each body region when calculating ISS. Only the
highest AIS score from each region contributes to ISS. This prevents multiple injuries in one
region from disproportionately affecting the score. Options A, C, and D misrepresent the rule.
Question 8 Laterality in AIS coding (right vs. left) is:
A. Always ignored
B. Coded when it affects severity or treatment [CORRECT]
C. Only coded for extremity injuries
D. Automatically increases severity by 1 point
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Laterality is coded when clinically relevant to severity or treatment. It is not ignored
(A), and it's not limited to extremities (C). Laterality does not automatically increase severity
(D); the severity reflects the actual anatomical damage.
Question 9 A patient has a superficial abrasion of the forehead. What is the appropriate AIS
severity?
A. 1 [CORRECT]
B. 2
, C. 3
D. 4
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Superficial abrasions without significant tissue loss are AIS 1 (Minor). They require
minimal treatment and have excellent prognosis. Options B, C, and D are too severe for this
minor external injury.
Question 10 Which of the following is NOT one of the six body regions used for ISS
calculation?
A. Head and Neck
B. Face
C. Thorax
D. Upper Extremity only [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The six ISS body regions are: (1) Head and Neck, (2) Face, (3) Chest (Thorax), (4)
Abdomen and Pelvic Viscera, (5) Extremities and Pelvic Girdle, and (6) External. "Upper
Extremity only" (D) is incorrect because extremities are combined with pelvic girdle into one
region, not separated by upper and lower for ISS purposes.
Question 11 Penetrating trauma coding differs from blunt trauma coding in that:
A. Penetrating injuries are always coded higher severity
B. The same anatomical injury receives the same AIS regardless of mechanism [CORRECT]
C. Penetrating injuries are never coded
D. Mechanism changes the body region
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: AIS codes describe anatomical injury severity, not mechanism. The same anatomical
disruption receives the same AIS whether from blunt or penetrating trauma. However,
penetrating trauma may cause different patterns of injury that affect code selection. Options A, C,
and D are incorrect.
Question 12 For pediatric patients, AIS coding:
A. Uses a completely different scale
B. Applies the same anatomical criteria with consideration for age-related differences
[CORRECT]
