Paragraph Number

158

FIG. 7E illustrates a bone probe 216 having a distal end that includes a coaxial opening that extends from a distal end of the bone probe 216 to a proximal end. The coaxial opening may connect to an opening in, or be a same opening as, one in a shaft 210 such that the shaft 210 is cannulated. The bone probe 216 may include a plurality of threads or flutes on the external surface of the bone probe 216. The threads or flutes can be configured to cut into bone such that rotation of the bone probe 216 can cause the bone probe 216 to drill down through the cortical surface and into the bone. In this manner, a surgeon may rotate the bone probe 216 either manually or with a powered driver to penetrate the cortical bone at a trajectory angle provided by the surgical device 200c. Alternatively, or in addition, the coaxial opening may have a diameter that accepts passage of a variety of instruments that a surgeon may use as part of a procedure to deploy a fixation device (e.g., a pedicle screw). A surgeon may use the coaxial opening to insert a drill bit or a probe or other instrument into the bone probe 216 to deploy a fixation device.

Added by DJM 1 2022