Bone anchor receiver with symmetrical horizontally extending upper tool engaging grooves

A receiver of a bone anchor, the receiver being configured to accept a rod that is locked in the receiver via a closure top, the receiver comprising:

• a receiver body having a longitudinal axis, a base, and a pair of upright arms extending upwardly from the base to define an open channel for receiving the rod, the open channel having a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and opening through front and back outer faces of the receiver body, the upright arms having opposed interior surfaces mateable with the closure top to securely lock the rod within the open channel and top surfaces defining a top of the receiver body, the receiver body having side outer faces opposite the interior surfaces of each upright arm and extending downward across the base to a bottom of the receiver body;
• and
• at least one horizontally-elongated upper tool engaging groove formed into the side outer face of each upright arm, each upper tool engaging groove being spaced an equal distance below the top surfaces and having downwardly-facing surfaces extending to at least one of the front outer face and the back outer face of the receiver body, the upper tool engaging grooves being symmetrically configured about the open channel,
• wherein the front and back outer faces of the receiver body include first substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces adjacent and extending below the open channel, the first substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces being perpendicular to the open channel transverse axis and parallel to the receiver longitudinal axis, and
• wherein each of the side outer faces of the receiver body include a second substantially planar outwardly-facing surface below the at least one upper tool engaging groove, the second substantially planar outwardly-facing surfaces being parallel to both the open channel transverse axis and the receiver longitudinal axis.