Paragraph Number

163

FIG. 8C illustrates a bone probe 216 having a distal end that comes to a sharp point and proximal end that includes threads that connect the bone probe 216 to a shaft 210. The threads on one or the other of the bone probe 216 and the shaft 210 may be corresponding internal and external threads. In the illustrated embodiment, the bone probe 216 may be modular and can be connected to the shaft 210. The bone probe 216 may include a plurality of tap threads on the external surface of the bone probe 216. The tap threads can be configured to cut internal threads into bone such that rotation of the bone probe 216 can form internal threads in the bone. In this manner, a surgeon may rotate the bone probe 216 either manually or with a powered driver to form internal threads for a fixation device, such as a pedicle screw.

Added by DJM 1 2022