CLEAN : Cricket: Hughes dies after rare accident

The transcript describes a severe injury where a blow caused compression of the vertebral artery, leading to a split and bleeding into the brain. This necessitated surgery to remove part of the skull to allow the brain to expand and prevent further compression. Despite the surgery, the patient showed little improvement in the first 24 to 48 hours, highlighting the severity and often fatal nature of such injuries.

What does the text imply about the fatality of the injury?

What was the purpose of removing some of the skull during surgery?