CAISS ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Acute compression of the heart caused by increased intra-pericardial
pressure due to collection of blood or fluid in the pericardium.
Answer: cardiac tamponade
◍ What body area is lumbar spine?.
Answer: abdomen/pelvic region
◍ How may body regions are there?.
Answer: 6
◍ Semicolon ; means what in the AIS book?.
Answer: This formatting separates injuries that are comparable in severity
◍ (T/F) If an injury to the trachea or esophagus is above the sternal notch it
should be coded to the Neck area..
Answer: T
◍ Two ways to derive a 75 ISS.
Answer: a single AIS 6AIS 5 in 3 body regions
◍ What body area is thoracic spine?.
Answer: chest
◍ AIS Parentheses ( ) tell a coder what?.
Answer: contain a synonym or definition
◍ Italics means what in the AIS book?.
Answer: This wording format is used for proper names, anatomical
structures and OIS grades.
◍ What is the AIS ordinal scale?.
Answer: 1. minor2. moderate3. serious4. severe5. critical6. maximum (not
, necessarily fatal)
◍ (T/F) The acetabulum may be assigned two fracture codes depending on
whether the injury is unilateral or bilateral..
Answer: T
◍ Body region: vertebral artery.
Answer: head & neck
◍ What body area is penetrating?.
Answer: External
◍ Can more than one body region be used for ISS?.
Answer: No, 3 or less
◍ What body area is electrical injury assigned to?.
Answer: external
◍ Definition of ISS.
Answer: The sum of the squares of the highest AIS in each of 3 most
severely injured body regions. A squared + B squared + C squared.
◍ What are the body regions in ISS?.
Answer: 1. head and neck2. face3. thorax4. abdomen and pelvic contents5.
extremities and pelvic girdle6. external
◍ Code C1 lateral mass to ___________..
Answer: pedicle
◍ [Bracket] means what in the AIS book?.
Answer: Contains inclusionary or exclusionary information
◍ What body area is C-spine?.
Answer: head and neck
◍ Articular Capsule.
Answer: The sac-like envelope which encloses the cavity of a synovial joint,
called also joint capsule and synovial capsule.
◍ Boxed Bold Type means what in the AIS book?.
, Answer: This formatting contains directives to assist the coder in
appropriate use of specific descriptions.
◍ Distal.
Answer: A comparative term indicating a point, structure or location further
from the root or attachment point.
◍ What organ is retrohepatic vena cava coded under?.
Answer: liver
◍ What body area is asphyxia assigned to?.
Answer: head
◍ Is death a part of the severity code?.
Answer: No
◍ What is AIS fundamentally?.
Answer: A severity injury scale
◍ Examples of allowed AIS sequela that can be coded.
Answer: hemothoraxpneumothoraxretroperitoneal hemorrhagecerebral
edemabrain swellingischemic brain damage directly related to head trauma
◍ (T/F) Bilateral proximal amputations are assigned only one code..
Answer: T
◍ What is the range of ISS?.
Answer: 1-75
◍ What body area is drowning assigned to?.
Answer: chest
◍ What does the AIS single digit severity number indicate?.
Answer: The "average patient" who sustains the coded injury as their only
injury
◍ Perforation.
Answer: Defined as full thickness laceration, but not complete transection.
◍ When coding Brain Edema or Brain Swelling how do you know which one
, to choose since the are often used interchangeably?.
Answer: Use the clinicians verbage.
◍ T/F Penetrating injury involving massive destruction of whole face
including both eyes, is assigned to FACE body region for calculating an ISS
210608.4.
Answer: True
◍ (T/F) An AIS of .1 can result in death..
Answer: T
◍ Cause of Injury Digits describe what and have how many digits?.
Answer: Intention and cause of injuryand it has 4 digits
◍ (T/F) Hemopneumothorax and Hemopneumomediastinum are consequences
of chest trauma..
Answer: T
◍ The most medial of 4 bones of distal row of carpal bones in the wrist.
Answer: hamate bone (wrist region)
◍ T/F LOC codes may be used even in the absence of a diagnoses of
"concussion" as long as the LOC is documented by a physician or AP
P. .
Answer: True
◍ If a patient sustains multiple head injuries and they have gone in to a coma
how many times should you use the coma modifier?.
Answer: Only ONCE and to the injury that will give you the highest AIS
severity code. The rest should be NFS
◍ (T/F) If it is not clear whether the cord was contused or lacerated you should
code to contusion..
Answer: T
◍ (T/F) You should base the injure severity based on procedure or treatment
interventions..
Answer: F
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ Acute compression of the heart caused by increased intra-pericardial
pressure due to collection of blood or fluid in the pericardium.
Answer: cardiac tamponade
◍ What body area is lumbar spine?.
Answer: abdomen/pelvic region
◍ How may body regions are there?.
Answer: 6
◍ Semicolon ; means what in the AIS book?.
Answer: This formatting separates injuries that are comparable in severity
◍ (T/F) If an injury to the trachea or esophagus is above the sternal notch it
should be coded to the Neck area..
Answer: T
◍ Two ways to derive a 75 ISS.
Answer: a single AIS 6AIS 5 in 3 body regions
◍ What body area is thoracic spine?.
Answer: chest
◍ AIS Parentheses ( ) tell a coder what?.
Answer: contain a synonym or definition
◍ Italics means what in the AIS book?.
Answer: This wording format is used for proper names, anatomical
structures and OIS grades.
◍ What is the AIS ordinal scale?.
Answer: 1. minor2. moderate3. serious4. severe5. critical6. maximum (not
, necessarily fatal)
◍ (T/F) The acetabulum may be assigned two fracture codes depending on
whether the injury is unilateral or bilateral..
Answer: T
◍ Body region: vertebral artery.
Answer: head & neck
◍ What body area is penetrating?.
Answer: External
◍ Can more than one body region be used for ISS?.
Answer: No, 3 or less
◍ What body area is electrical injury assigned to?.
Answer: external
◍ Definition of ISS.
Answer: The sum of the squares of the highest AIS in each of 3 most
severely injured body regions. A squared + B squared + C squared.
◍ What are the body regions in ISS?.
Answer: 1. head and neck2. face3. thorax4. abdomen and pelvic contents5.
extremities and pelvic girdle6. external
◍ Code C1 lateral mass to ___________..
Answer: pedicle
◍ [Bracket] means what in the AIS book?.
Answer: Contains inclusionary or exclusionary information
◍ What body area is C-spine?.
Answer: head and neck
◍ Articular Capsule.
Answer: The sac-like envelope which encloses the cavity of a synovial joint,
called also joint capsule and synovial capsule.
◍ Boxed Bold Type means what in the AIS book?.
, Answer: This formatting contains directives to assist the coder in
appropriate use of specific descriptions.
◍ Distal.
Answer: A comparative term indicating a point, structure or location further
from the root or attachment point.
◍ What organ is retrohepatic vena cava coded under?.
Answer: liver
◍ What body area is asphyxia assigned to?.
Answer: head
◍ Is death a part of the severity code?.
Answer: No
◍ What is AIS fundamentally?.
Answer: A severity injury scale
◍ Examples of allowed AIS sequela that can be coded.
Answer: hemothoraxpneumothoraxretroperitoneal hemorrhagecerebral
edemabrain swellingischemic brain damage directly related to head trauma
◍ (T/F) Bilateral proximal amputations are assigned only one code..
Answer: T
◍ What is the range of ISS?.
Answer: 1-75
◍ What body area is drowning assigned to?.
Answer: chest
◍ What does the AIS single digit severity number indicate?.
Answer: The "average patient" who sustains the coded injury as their only
injury
◍ Perforation.
Answer: Defined as full thickness laceration, but not complete transection.
◍ When coding Brain Edema or Brain Swelling how do you know which one
, to choose since the are often used interchangeably?.
Answer: Use the clinicians verbage.
◍ T/F Penetrating injury involving massive destruction of whole face
including both eyes, is assigned to FACE body region for calculating an ISS
210608.4.
Answer: True
◍ (T/F) An AIS of .1 can result in death..
Answer: T
◍ Cause of Injury Digits describe what and have how many digits?.
Answer: Intention and cause of injuryand it has 4 digits
◍ (T/F) Hemopneumothorax and Hemopneumomediastinum are consequences
of chest trauma..
Answer: T
◍ The most medial of 4 bones of distal row of carpal bones in the wrist.
Answer: hamate bone (wrist region)
◍ T/F LOC codes may be used even in the absence of a diagnoses of
"concussion" as long as the LOC is documented by a physician or AP
P. .
Answer: True
◍ If a patient sustains multiple head injuries and they have gone in to a coma
how many times should you use the coma modifier?.
Answer: Only ONCE and to the injury that will give you the highest AIS
severity code. The rest should be NFS
◍ (T/F) If it is not clear whether the cord was contused or lacerated you should
code to contusion..
Answer: T
◍ (T/F) You should base the injure severity based on procedure or treatment
interventions..
Answer: F
