Patent ID: 7621918

Claim:
A vertebral support rod implantation kit adapted for use with a plurality of vertebrae, the kit comprising: a) a plurality of polyaxial bone screws, each bone screw being adapted for implantation in one of the vertebrae, each of the bone screws having an attachment structure; b) an elongate rod having first and second ends, the rod sized and shaped to extend between a pair of end bone screws of the plurality of bone screws; c) a plurality of closure tops, each closure top sized and shape to mate with a respective bone screw and retain the elongate rod within a cavity defined by the respective bone screw; d) a pair of end guide tools, each end guide tool having i) an elongate body having a longitudinal axis, an outer surface and a channel with a lateral opening extending through the outer surface and along the longitudinal axis along an entire length of the guide tool, at least a portion of the channel opening sized and shaped for side loading and receiving of an end of the rod; ii) opposed spinal implant engaging structure near a bottom of the body; and iii) said elongate body including a flexible holding tang disposed opposite the lateral opening and pressable laterally outwardly from the elongate body outer surface, the holding tang sized and shaped to closely receive and resiliently abut against the end of the rod to minimize movement of the rod along its length.