CAISS Certification Study Guide Exam
with Complete Solutions
"Blast" and inhalation injuries in the chest are coded to which organ? - ANSWER-lungs
"Burst" fractures are coded to which portion of the vertebra? - ANSWER-body
"Closed cisterns" implies what type of brain injury? - ANSWER-swelling
"GSW to abdomen" with no further description would be coded to External or Abdominal
ISS body region? - ANSWER-Abdominal
"Incomplete transection" vessel injuries are coded as what in AIS? - ANSWER-
incomplete circumferential involvement
"Whiplash" is what type of cervical injury? - ANSWER-strain
(T/F) A "crush" injury to the thoracic region must be bilateral in nature? - ANSWER-
TRUE
(T/F) A muscle tear, rupture, or avulsion is also known as a laceration. - ANSWER-
TRUE
(T/F) A partial articular acetabulum fracture may involve one or both columns? -
ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) A subgaleal hematoma lies over the skull but under the scalp. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) A vessel puncture or perforation is also known as a laceration. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Abdominal compartment syndrome is a sequela of abdominal trauma and is
therefore NOT coded. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Air embolus and tamponade are codeable sequela in the chest ISS region. -
ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Bilateral acetabulum fractures are coded separately. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Bilateral injures of kidneys, eyes, ears, and extremities are typically codes as
separate injuries (with some exceptions). - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Bilateral pelvic ring structures are coded separately. - ANSWER-FALSE
,(T/F) Brain edema accompanying a contusion or hematoma is considered part of the
lesion when assessing its size. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Certain findings such as IVH, SAH, SPH, and ischemic brain damager are
ALWAYS coded separately from DAI. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) Closed and NFS fractures share the same 7 digit AIS numerical identifier. -
ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Coma is included in each and every codable head injury. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) Cord injuries and vertebral fractures are coded as separate injuries. - ANSWER-
FALSE
(T/F) Degloving injuries may be open or closed. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Fetal demise as a result of abdominal injury is a codeable AIS injury. - ANSWER-
FALSE
(T/F) If multiple fractures to a single bone exist but are not specified as to location, they
are coded as a single injury. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) If OIS grading descriptions are NOT available and no other descriptors are
mentioned, it is acceptable to use the terms "minor, major, or massive" as severity
descriptors of solid organ injuries. - ANSWER-TRUE
(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
(T/F) In the spine, dislocation and subluxation are synonymous. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Multiple fractures to the same bone but in different areas are coded separately. -
ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Pelvic bones are coded to the abdominal ISS body region. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) Rib fractures with underlying injuries such as a lung contusion or laceration should
be coded as one single injury combined. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) Separate vertebral fractures should be combined when no associated spinal cord
injury is present. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) Sequela of spinal cord injuries such as transient neurological signs, incomplete
cord syndromes, and complete cord syndromes are not codable injuries. - ANSWER-
FALSE
, (T/F) The 6 digit pre-dot codes are unique and allow for more specificity and accurate
coding? - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) The amount of compression of a vertebral body fracture will affect its AIS code
and severity. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) The ISS has a separate body region for spine. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) The severity of codes in AIS are NOT age adjusted in some categories. -
ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) The size and associated severity of soft tissue injuries is the same across all body
regions. - ANSWER-FALSE (face > 10cm, other > 20cm)
(T/F) Thumb and non-thumb fingers are separate injury categories. - ANSWER-TRUE
(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
(T/F) When a skin injury (abrasion, contusion, etc.) occurs over an underlying injury they
should be coded separately to the specific body region. - ANSWER-TRUE (ex. open fx,
penetrating)
(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. - ANSWER-FALSE
1st degree burn is described as _________? - ANSWER-superficial
2nd degree burn is described as __________? - ANSWER-partial thickness
3rd degree burn is described as _________? - ANSWER-full thickness
A "sucking" wound of the chest indicates that it is open or closed? - ANSWER-open
A compound fracture is considered open or closed? - ANSWER-open
A costal cartilage tear or fracture is coded as what type of injury? - ANSWER-rib fx
A craniofacial disjunction is known as what type of LeFort Fx? - ANSWER-LeFort III
A fracture with three or more fragments with proximal and distal fragments not touching
is defined as what? - ANSWER-complex
with Complete Solutions
"Blast" and inhalation injuries in the chest are coded to which organ? - ANSWER-lungs
"Burst" fractures are coded to which portion of the vertebra? - ANSWER-body
"Closed cisterns" implies what type of brain injury? - ANSWER-swelling
"GSW to abdomen" with no further description would be coded to External or Abdominal
ISS body region? - ANSWER-Abdominal
"Incomplete transection" vessel injuries are coded as what in AIS? - ANSWER-
incomplete circumferential involvement
"Whiplash" is what type of cervical injury? - ANSWER-strain
(T/F) A "crush" injury to the thoracic region must be bilateral in nature? - ANSWER-
TRUE
(T/F) A muscle tear, rupture, or avulsion is also known as a laceration. - ANSWER-
TRUE
(T/F) A partial articular acetabulum fracture may involve one or both columns? -
ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) A subgaleal hematoma lies over the skull but under the scalp. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) A vessel puncture or perforation is also known as a laceration. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Abdominal compartment syndrome is a sequela of abdominal trauma and is
therefore NOT coded. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Air embolus and tamponade are codeable sequela in the chest ISS region. -
ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Bilateral acetabulum fractures are coded separately. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Bilateral injures of kidneys, eyes, ears, and extremities are typically codes as
separate injuries (with some exceptions). - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Bilateral pelvic ring structures are coded separately. - ANSWER-FALSE
,(T/F) Brain edema accompanying a contusion or hematoma is considered part of the
lesion when assessing its size. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Certain findings such as IVH, SAH, SPH, and ischemic brain damager are
ALWAYS coded separately from DAI. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) Closed and NFS fractures share the same 7 digit AIS numerical identifier. -
ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Coma is included in each and every codable head injury. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) Cord injuries and vertebral fractures are coded as separate injuries. - ANSWER-
FALSE
(T/F) Degloving injuries may be open or closed. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Fetal demise as a result of abdominal injury is a codeable AIS injury. - ANSWER-
FALSE
(T/F) If multiple fractures to a single bone exist but are not specified as to location, they
are coded as a single injury. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) If OIS grading descriptions are NOT available and no other descriptors are
mentioned, it is acceptable to use the terms "minor, major, or massive" as severity
descriptors of solid organ injuries. - ANSWER-TRUE
(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
(T/F) In the spine, dislocation and subluxation are synonymous. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Multiple fractures to the same bone but in different areas are coded separately. -
ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) Pelvic bones are coded to the abdominal ISS body region. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) Rib fractures with underlying injuries such as a lung contusion or laceration should
be coded as one single injury combined. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) Separate vertebral fractures should be combined when no associated spinal cord
injury is present. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) Sequela of spinal cord injuries such as transient neurological signs, incomplete
cord syndromes, and complete cord syndromes are not codable injuries. - ANSWER-
FALSE
, (T/F) The 6 digit pre-dot codes are unique and allow for more specificity and accurate
coding? - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) The amount of compression of a vertebral body fracture will affect its AIS code
and severity. - ANSWER-TRUE
(T/F) The ISS has a separate body region for spine. - ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) The severity of codes in AIS are NOT age adjusted in some categories. -
ANSWER-FALSE
(T/F) The size and associated severity of soft tissue injuries is the same across all body
regions. - ANSWER-FALSE (face > 10cm, other > 20cm)
(T/F) Thumb and non-thumb fingers are separate injury categories. - ANSWER-TRUE
(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
(T/F) When a skin injury (abrasion, contusion, etc.) occurs over an underlying injury they
should be coded separately to the specific body region. - ANSWER-TRUE (ex. open fx,
penetrating)
(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. - ANSWER-FALSE
1st degree burn is described as _________? - ANSWER-superficial
2nd degree burn is described as __________? - ANSWER-partial thickness
3rd degree burn is described as _________? - ANSWER-full thickness
A "sucking" wound of the chest indicates that it is open or closed? - ANSWER-open
A compound fracture is considered open or closed? - ANSWER-open
A costal cartilage tear or fracture is coded as what type of injury? - ANSWER-rib fx
A craniofacial disjunction is known as what type of LeFort Fx? - ANSWER-LeFort III
A fracture with three or more fragments with proximal and distal fragments not touching
is defined as what? - ANSWER-complex
