Spinal osteosynthesis assembly comprising the head of an anchoring member and a tool for fixing said head

1. A tool for holding an anchor member for use in osteosynthesis of the spine, said anchor member having a head portion with two branch portions separated from one another by a slot, each branch portion having a top and two edges each having a contact portion, said tool comprising a first arm member having a distal end with two finger members spaced apart from each other and a transverse member arranged so as to extend between the two finger members, each finger member having a contact portion which is arranged such that the contact portion of one of the finger members is spaced apart from the contact portion of the other of the finger members a first distance which is substantially the same as that between the contact portions of the edges of one of the branch portions, wherein the tool is operable to engage said anchor member such that the transverse member contacts the top of only one of the branch portions while the contact portions of the finger members contact the corresponding contact portions of the edges of only the one respective branch portion so as to enable manipulation of said anchor member by the tool.

2. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the transverse member is a rod.

3. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein each said branch portion further has an outside face which includes a contact portion, and wherein the tool further comprises a second arm member pivotally coupled to the first arm member and having a distal end with a face portion, in which the face portion of the second arm member is operable to contact the contact portion of the outside face of the respective branch portion when the tool engages said anchor member.

4. The tool according to claim 3 , wherein the contact portion of the outside face of each said branch portion includes a cavity, and wherein the face portion of the second arm member is configured so as to fit within said cavity when the face portion contacts the contact portion of the outside face of the respective branch portion.

5. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein said transverse member is further arranged so as to be spaced apart along a predetermined direction from the contact portions of the finger members a second distance which is substantially the same as the distance between the top and the contact portions of the two edges of the respective branch portion along said predetermined direction.

6. A system for use in osteosynthesis of the spine, said system comprising:

an anchor member having a head portion with two branch portions separated from one another by a slot, each branch portion having a top, two edges each having a corresponding contact portion, and an outside face having a contact portion; and

a tool including a first arm member and a second arm member pivotally coupled to the first arm member, said first arm member having a distal end with two finger members spaced apart from each other and a transverse member arranged so as to extend between the two finger members, each finger member having a contact portion which is arranged such that the contact portion of one of the finger members is spaced apart from the contact portion of the other of the finger members a distance which is substantially the same as that between the contact portions of the edges of one of the branch portions, said second arm member having a distal end with a face portion,

wherein the tool is operable to securely hold said anchor member by having (i) the transverse member of the first arm member contact the top of only one of the branch portions, (ii) the contact portions of the finger members of the first arm member contact the contact portions of the edges of only the one respective branch portion, and (iii) the face portion of the second arm member contacts the contact portion of the outside face of only the one respective branch portion.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the transverse member is a rod.

8. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the contact portion of the outside face of each said branch portion includes a cavity, and wherein the face portion of the second arm member is configured so as to engage the cavity when the tool is operated.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the cavity includes a flat wall having a generally rectangular shape, and wherein the face portion of the second arm member has a generally rectangular shape which is similar in size to that of the flat wall.

10. The tool according to claim 6 , wherein said transverse member is further arranged so as to be spaced apart along a predetermined direction from the contact portions of the finger members a second distance which is substantially the same as the distance between the top and the contact portions of the two edges of the respective branch portion along said predetermined direction.