CAISS Head and Neck Injuries 5

Question 1

Which of the following best describes why AIS 6 is not used frequently in clinical data registries compared to AIS 5?

Accepted Answer

AIS 6 is reserved for injuries with 0% survival regardless of care, which rarely meet strict criteria

Answer

AIS 6 requires that the injury be fundamentally unsurvivable regardless of optimal treatment, a high bar that few injuries strictly meet.

Question 2

A trauma patient has a fracture of the odontoid process (C2) with anterior subluxation but no cord signal change on MRI. What is the AIS severity?

Accepted Answer

AIS 4

Answer

An odontoid fracture with subluxation but no cord injury codes to AIS 4 because the instability poses a significant threat to the spinal cord.

Question 3

In the MAIS (Maximum AIS) calculation for a crash victim with head and neck injuries, how is MAIS determined?

Accepted Answer

Highest single AIS score across all body regions

Answer

MAIS is the single highest AIS severity score across all coded injuries, regardless of body region.

Question 4

A patient is diagnosed with a basilar skull fracture with hemotympanum and raccoon eyes but no neurological deficits. What AIS level applies?

Accepted Answer

AIS 3

Answer

A basilar skull fracture with clinical signs but without neurological compromise is coded AIS 3 (Serious).

Question 5

Which of the following neck vascular injuries would typically receive the highest AIS severity?

Accepted Answer

Carotid artery transection

Answer

Carotid artery transection is an immediately life-threatening injury and receives the highest AIS severity among neck vascular injuries.

(CAISS) Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist Practice Test