CAISS AIS Coding Principles 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The 'type of injury' digit in the AIS code represents which position in the seven-digit sequence?
- First digit
- Second digit
- Fifth digit (Correct answer)
- Sixth digit
Correct answer: Fifth digit
In the AIS seven-digit code, the fifth digit encodes the type of injury (e.g., fracture, laceration, contusion).
Question 2: A patient sustains a ruptured spleen with major devascularization. Which AIS score applies?
- 3
- 4
- 5 (Correct answer)
- 6
Correct answer: 5
Splenic rupture with major devascularization represents a life-threatening abdominal injury coded AIS 5 (Critical).
Question 3: Under AIS coding rules, when should a coder assign codes based on operative findings rather than pre-operative diagnosis?
- Never — initial triage diagnosis always takes precedence
- Always — operative findings are the gold standard and supersede pre-op diagnosis (Correct answer)
- Only when the pre-op diagnosis was made without imaging
- Only when the operative report is signed by the attending surgeon within 24 hours
Correct answer: Always — operative findings are the gold standard and supersede pre-op diagnosis
Operative findings provide direct visual confirmation of injury and are the most accurate basis for AIS code assignment.
Question 4: AIS body region 6 covers injuries to which anatomical area?
- Abdomen
- Spine (Correct answer)
- Thorax
- Lower extremity
Correct answer: Spine
AIS region 6 is designated for spine and spinal cord injuries, separate from the thorax and abdomen.
Question 5: Which statement about coding multiple injuries in the same body region is correct under AIS rules?
- Only the highest severity injury in a region is coded
- All injuries in a region are coded individually and the highest score represents that region for ISS (Correct answer)
- Injuries in the same region are summed to create a combined severity score
- A maximum of two injuries per body region may be coded
Correct answer: All injuries in a region are coded individually and the highest score represents that region for ISS
All injuries within a region receive individual AIS codes, but only the highest AIS score from that region contributes to ISS calculation.
Question 6: A traumatic amputation of the hand at the wrist would be coded under which AIS region?
- Region 4 — Abdomen
- Region 5 — Extremities (Correct answer)
- Region 7 — External
- Region 8 — Unspecified
Correct answer: Region 5 — Extremities
The hand and wrist are part of the upper extremity, which falls under AIS region 5.
Question 7: What distinguishes AIS 3 (Serious) from AIS 4 (Severe) in clinical terms?
- AIS 3 injuries are not life-threatening; AIS 4 injuries are life-threatening but survivable (Correct answer)
- AIS 3 requires surgery; AIS 4 does not
- AIS 3 is limited to soft tissue; AIS 4 always involves bone
- AIS 3 applies to pediatric patients only; AIS 4 applies to adults
Correct answer: AIS 3 injuries are not life-threatening; AIS 4 injuries are life-threatening but survivable
AIS 3 injuries are serious but not immediately life-threatening, whereas AIS 4 injuries carry a significant life threat but are survivable with treatment.
CAISS AIS Coding Principles 4
The 'type of injury' digit in the AIS code represents which position in the seven-digit sequence?