How many body regions are used in the Injury Severity Score (ISS)?

The Injury Severity Score (ISS) is a widely used medical scoring system to assess the severity of injuries based on the body's regions affected. The ISS evaluates injuries categorized into six distinct body regions: the head/neck, face, chest, abdomen, extremities (including pelvis), and external. Each region is assigned a score based on the severity of the injuries sustained in that area, and the highest abbreviated injury scale (AIS) score from each of the three most severely injured body regions is squared and summed to yield the total ISS score.

This scoring system provides a comprehensive assessment of traumatic injuries and helps in making decisions regarding treatment and resource allocation in emergency and trauma care. Understanding the breakdown into these six regions is essential for accurately utilizing the ISS for clinical evaluations and research in trauma management.