Patent ID: 8343201

Claim:
A pedicle screw assembly comprising: a body portion including a head and a shank, the shank including an outer surface with a thread provided thereon, an end having a cutting tip provided thereon, and a bore extending inwardly from the end and having an internally threaded region provided therein; and a tip portion including a body having a cutting edge and a shank extending from the body, the shank having an externally threaded region provided thereon that cooperates with the internally threaded region of the bore to permit movement of the tip portion relative to the body portion between extended and retracted positions, wherein the internally threaded region of the bore has a first internally threaded region defined by a first diameter and a second internally threaded region defined by a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, and wherein the externally threaded region of the tip portion has first externally threaded region that cooperates with the first internally threaded region of the bore and a second externally threaded region that cooperates with the second internally threaded region of the bore.