CAISS Abdominal Injuries 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In AIS coding, a stellate hepatic laceration with right hepatic vein involvement is classified at which severity level?
- AIS 3
- AIS 4
- AIS 5 (Correct answer)
- AIS 6
Correct answer: AIS 5
Stellate hepatic lacerations involving major hepatic veins are classified AIS 5 due to the critical risk of exsanguination.
Question 2: Which of the following abdominal injury scenarios would most likely be coded AIS 6 (unsurvivable)?
- Splenic laceration with subcapsular hematoma
- Complete avulsion of the abdominal aorta (Correct answer)
- Grade II liver laceration with minor bleeding
- Mesenteric contusion without vascular injury
Correct answer: Complete avulsion of the abdominal aorta
Complete avulsion of the abdominal aorta is considered an unsurvivable injury and is coded AIS 6.
Question 3: A Grade III splenic injury with 50% subcapsular hematoma is best coded at which AIS level?
- AIS 2
- AIS 3 (Correct answer)
- AIS 4
- AIS 5
Correct answer: AIS 3
A Grade III splenic injury with large subcapsular hematoma is coded AIS 3, representing serious injury without immediate vascular catastrophe.
Question 4: When coding abdominal injuries, penetrating trauma to the small bowel with a single perforation is typically assigned which AIS score?
- AIS 1
- AIS 2
- AIS 3 (Correct answer)
- AIS 4
Correct answer: AIS 3
A single small bowel perforation from penetrating trauma is coded AIS 3, reflecting serious injury with significant morbidity potential.
Question 5: Which statement about the AIS and retroperitoneal hematomas is correct?
- Retroperitoneal hematomas are excluded from AIS coding
- They are coded under the external region
- They are coded in the abdominal region with severity based on size and expansion (Correct answer)
- They always receive AIS 5 due to occult nature
Correct answer: They are coded in the abdominal region with severity based on size and expansion
Retroperitoneal hematomas are included in the abdominal AIS region and are scored based on characteristics such as size, expansion, and vascular source.
Question 6: In CAISS practice, what is the primary source document used to verify abdominal injury AIS codes?
- Emergency department triage notes
- Operative and radiology reports (Correct answer)
- Nursing assessment flowsheets
- Insurance billing records
Correct answer: Operative and radiology reports
Operative reports and radiology imaging reports (CT, MRI) are the primary source documents for accurate AIS abdominal injury coding.
Question 7: A patient sustains a bladder rupture classified as extraperitoneal. What AIS score is most appropriate?
- AIS 1
- AIS 2
- AIS 3 (Correct answer)
- AIS 4
Correct answer: AIS 3
Extraperitoneal bladder rupture is coded AIS 3, reflecting serious injury with moderate morbidity and the need for surgical or catheter management.
CAISS Abdominal Injuries 4
In AIS coding, a stellate hepatic laceration with right hepatic vein involvement is classified at which severity level?