Patent ID: 8894657

Claim:
A medical implant holding tool for use with a bone anchor that includes a receiver with a pair of opposed sides, each side having a laterally opening, vertically oriented slot extending up to a top surface thereof and a lower first surface projecting downwardly toward a bottom thereof, said holding tool comprising: (a) first and second elongated parts defining an elongated channel extending along a length thereof when in mating engagement with the receiver; (b) each elongated part having implant engaging structure at a lower end thereof for operably mating with one of the opposed sides of the receiver in vertical sliding relationship thereto, the implant engaging structure including a longitudinally oriented raised structure for vertical sliding engagement with one of the laterally opening, vertically oriented slots for mechanical overlapping and interlocking mating engagement to block horizontal translation between the elongated part and the receiver, and the implant engaging structure further including an upwardly facing second surface positioned to engage the first surface of a respective side of the receiver to limit vertical translation between the elongated part and the receiver; (c) the first and second elongated parts being independently manipulatable with respect to one another and having variable spatial relationships therebetween during at least a portion of the use thereof; (d) including a stabilizer selectively attached to each of the elongated parts at a location spaced from the receiver for keeping the elongated parts in fixed spaced relation to one another; and (e) the stabilizer including a first helical guide and advancement structure sized and shaped to matingly cooperate with a second helical guide and advancement structure of a reduction tool.