CAISS External and Thermal 4

Question 1

A chemical burn from concentrated hydrofluoric acid to 5% TBSA is particularly dangerous because it also causes:

Accepted Answer

Systemic hypocalcemia and cardiac arrhythmia

Answer

Hydrofluoric acid binds calcium, causing systemic hypocalcemia which can trigger life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias even from small TBSA exposure.

Question 2

In the AIS framework, an avulsion injury is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Skin tearing with full separation of tissue from underlying structures

Answer

An avulsion involves full tearing away of skin (and possibly deeper tissue) from the underlying structures, distinct from a laceration or abrasion.

Question 3

Which burn patient characteristic increases the estimated mortality risk the most when using the Revised Baux Score?

Accepted Answer

Inhalation injury

Answer

The Revised Baux Score adds 17 points for the presence of inhalation injury, significantly increasing predicted mortality.

Question 4

An AIS code of 751020.3 indicates which severity level for a thermal injury?

Accepted Answer

AIS 3 — serious

Answer

The final digit of an AIS code represents the severity; '.3' indicates AIS 3 (serious).

Question 5

Radiation burns (e.g., from ionizing radiation) in the AIS system are coded under which chapter?

Accepted Answer

Thermal

Answer

AIS codes radiation burns within the Thermal chapter, grouping them with other energy-transfer injuries to the skin.

(CAISS) Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist Practice Test