Penetrating head injuries

1. What happens to a person whose brain is penetrated at lower levels of the brain stem?
2. What is the mortality rate from patients initially comatose from GSW to head? How does this compare to the mortality for a closed head injury?
3. How often do seizures occur in the early phase of a penetrating head injury?

Answers:
1. Death.
2. 80% mortality, 2x as high as for closed head injury.
3. 15-20%