CAISS CERTIFICATION EXAM 2 – CERTIFIED ABBREVIATED INJURY SCALE SPECIALIST STUDY GUIDE | LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027 | PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | EXAM REVIEW.

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CAISS CERTIFICATION EXAM 2 – CERTIFIED
ABBREVIATED INJURY SCALE SPECIALIST
STUDY GUIDE | LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027 |
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
EXAM REVIEW.




Table of Contents

1. AIS Origins, Philosophy, and Structure
2. AIS Severity Scale and Coding Fundamentals
3. AIS Dictionary Formatting Conventions
4. Body Region and Anatomic Structure Coding
5. Head and Neck Injury Coding
6. Face Injury Coding
7. Thorax Injury Coding
8. Abdomen and Pelvic Injury Coding
9. Extremity and External Injury Coding
10. Spine Injury Coding
11. Injury Severity Score (ISS) Calculation
12. AIS Coding Rules, Conventions, and Special Situations

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Question 1: The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) is best described as:

A) A prognostic tool that predicts patient outcomes based on treatment received
B) An anatomically based, consensus-driven classification system that ranks the severity of
single injuries relative to their threat to life
C) A financial billing code used for insurance reimbursement
D) A time-dependent scale that changes based on how long after injury the assessment is
made

Correct Answer: B) An anatomically based, consensus-driven classification system that
ranks the severity of single injuries relative to their threat to life
The AIS is fundamentally an anatomically based, consensus-driven system that classifies
injury severity by ranking each injury relative to its threat to life. It was developed to
standardize injury description and severity scoring across trauma systems, research, and
performance improvement. It is not a billing code, not time-dependent, and not designed to
predict individual outcomes.

Question 2: The AIS severity scale is an ordinal scale that ranges from:

A) 1 (Minor) to 5 (Critical)
B) 1 (Minor) to 6 (Maximal, currently untreatable)
C) 0 (No injury) to 10 (Fatal)
D) 1 (Minor) to V (Critical)

Correct Answer: B) 1 (Minor) to 6 (Maximal, currently untreatable)
The AIS uses a 6-point ordinal scale from 1 (Minor) through 2 (Moderate), 3 (Serious), 4
(Severe), 5 (Critical), to 6 (Maximal, currently untreatable). This scale is ordinal, meaning
the intervals between numbers are not necessarily equal. The scale reflects consensus-based
severity rankings rather than precise mathematical relationships.

Question 3: Which of the following is a fundamental principle of AIS coding philosophy?

A) AIS severity is determined primarily by the patient's eventual outcome
B) AIS reflects the severity of single injuries and is not affected by time, sequela, or outcome
C) AIS codes must be updated whenever the patient's condition changes
D) AIS severity is based on the cost of medical treatment

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Correct Answer: B) AIS reflects the severity of single injuries and is not affected by
time, sequela, or outcome
A core principle of AIS is that it describes the anatomical severity of a single injury at the
time of assessment and is not influenced by time, treatment complications, sequela, or patient
outcome. A severe injury receives the same AIS code whether the patient survives or dies. The
scale reflects the inherent anatomical threat of the injury to life.

Question 4: The AIS severity score for a "critical" injury is:

A) 3
B) 4
C) 5
D) 6

Correct Answer: C) 5
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, such as severe brain injury with GCS 3–5 or
cardiac tamponade.

Question 5: An AIS score of 6 indicates:

A) Minor injury
B) Moderate injury
C) Critical injury
D) Maximal injury (currently untreatable)

Correct Answer: D) Maximal injury (currently untreatable)
AIS 6 represents a maximal injury that is currently untreatable and invariably fatal, such as
massive liver disruption, high cervical cord transection, or 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.

Question 6: The AIS code is a 7-digit number. The first digit represents:

A) Severity
B) Body region

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C) Type of anatomic structure
D) Specific anatomic structure

Correct Answer: B) Body region
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 7: What part of the AIS code is considered the "Pre-Dot Code"?

A) The single digit after the decimal point
B) The 6 digits before the decimal point
C) The last two digits of the code
D) The first digit only

Correct Answer: B) The 6 digits before the decimal point
The pre-dot code consists of 6 digits to the left of the decimal point. These six digits provide
specificity about body region, anatomic structure type, specific anatomic structure, and level
of injury. The single digit after the decimal point is the AIS severity number.

Question 8: What part of the AIS code is considered the "AIS Severity Number"?

A) The 6 digits before the decimal point
B) The single digit after the decimal point
C) The first two digits of the pre-dot code
D) The last two digits of the pre-dot code

Correct Answer: B) The single digit after the decimal point
The AIS severity number is the single digit to the right of the decimal point. It indicates the
relative severity of the injury on the 6-point ordinal scale, ranging from 1 (Minor) to 6
(Maximal), with 9 indicating Unknown.

Question 9: In the pre-dot code, what does the first digit stand for?

A) Type of anatomic structure
B) Body region
C) Specific anatomic structure
D) Level of injury