A retrospective review of the trauma registry and medical records of all patients requiring emergency airway control from September 1, 1987 to September 30, 1991 was performed. Two hundred twenty-nine patients who were critically injured were reviewed, the mean injury severity score was 29 (range of 3 to 75), the mean revised trauma score was 9 (range of 3 to 12), the mean Glasgow Coma Scale was 9 (range of 3 to 15), and the mean age was 31 years (range of one to 94 years).