Injury Severity Score (ISS)

Standardizes severity of traumatic injury based on worst injury of 6 body systems.

Head and Neck Worst Injury?
  • +1
  • +2
  • +3
  • +4
  • +5
  • +6
Face Worst Injury?
  • +1
  • +2
  • +3
  • +4
  • +5
  • +6
Chest Worst Injury?
  • +1
  • +2
  • +3
  • +4
  • +5
  • +6
Abdomen Worst Injury?
  • +1
  • +2
  • +3
  • +4
  • +5
  • +6
Extremity (Including Pelvis) Worst Injury?
  • +1
  • +2
  • +3
  • +4
  • +5
  • +6
External Worst Injury?
  • +1
  • +2
  • +3
  • +4
  • +5
  • +6
Score
Each of the six body systems' injuries are given an Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS); the most severe injury in each body system is used for the Injury Severity Score. Next, the three highest AIS scores are squared, then summed to determine a patient's Injury Severity Score (ISS), which ranges from 0-75. If a patient has an "Unsurvivable" injury in any of the body systems, they are automatically assigned a score of 75.

Posted in: Surgery • Trauma









The NNT : Quick Summaries of Evidence-Based Medicine