Patent ID: 7862587

Claim:
An apparatus for implanting a longitudinal connecting member in a patient comprising: a) a spinal implant having a receiver, a spinal attachment portion and a closure; the receiver having a pair of upright arms forming a receiver channel adapted for receiving a longitudinal connecting member; the receiver having opposed sides with insertion tool attachment structure thereon; the closure having closure guide and advancement structure thereon; each of the receiver arms having an inner surface with a receiver guide and advancement structure thereon sized and shaped to rotatably receive the closure guide and advancement structure of the closure; b) an insertion tool having an elongate body with a top, a bottom, and opposed spinal implant engaging structure near the bottom of the body, the body further having a longitudinal axis, an outer surface and an insertion tool channel with a lateral opening extending through the outer surface upward from the bottom of the body and along the longitudinal axis of the insertion tool, at least a portion of the insertion tool channel opening being sized and shaped to be adapted for receiving the longitudinal connecting member, the body having an insertion tool guide and advancement structure spaced from the body bottom, the insertion tool implant engaging structure being sized and shaped to engage the spinal implant tool attachment structure in only one orientation and secure the insertion tool to the receiver; and c) a reduction tool selectably mateable with the insertion tool for operably urging the closure and receiver toward one another with the longitudinal connecting member positioned between the closure and receiver so as to seat the longitudinal connecting member in the receiver channel; the reduction tool having a reduction tool guide and advancement structure thereon; the reduction tool operably joining with the closure at a bottom of the reduction tool; the insertion tool and reduction tool guide and advancement structures cooperating when the reduction tool is mated with the insertion tool so that the combined bottom of the reduction tool and closure are adapted to engage the longitudinal connecting member and operably reduce the connecting member relative to a respective receiver; the guide and advancement structure of the reduction tool and the insertion tool also being configured such that when the closure is advanced and first engages the receiver that the guide and advancement structures of the closure and the receiver align and mate to allow the closure to be rotatably advanced into the receiver.