A computer-based system for coding detailed information about head and neck injuries is presented. Modeled on the Occupant Injury Classification, the system uses five alphanumeric codes to locate the injury anatomically, and describe the type of injury and the tissues involved. A sixth code assigns the injury severity on the AIS scale. A dictionary that assigns codes for a large number of injury descriptions is presented, and a second dictionary defines severity scores. Strategies for selecting and defining injuries are discussed.
Abstract