Pivotal bone anchor assembly with lock and release member vertically translatable with tooling

A method of assembling a pivotal bone anchor assembly configured to secure a rod to a bone of a patient with tooling and a closure, the method comprising:

• positioning a second member into cooperation with a first member,
• the first member comprising a central bore formed around a vertical centerline axis, a lower portion with a bottom opening, and an upper portion with a pair of upright arms defining an open channel configured to receive the rod, the pair of upright arms including upper vertically extending tool engagement structures, and
• the second member comprising a top surface and a center aperture alignable with the vertical centerline axis, upward facing tool engagement structures offset with respect to the open channel and alignable with the upper vertically extending tool engagement structures to be accessible with the tooling when the rod is positioned within the open channel, and an upwardly-facing surface engageable with the rod, the second member configured to be compressed downwardly relative to the first member along the vertical centerline axis by direct engagement of the upward facing tool engagement structures with the tooling;
• and
• uploading a head portion of a shank into the lower portion of the first member through the bottom opening, the shank comprising the head portion having a partial spherical shape and an anchor portion opposite the head portion configured for fixation to the bone, the shank being pivotal with respect to the first member when the pivotal bone anchor assembly is in a non-locked configuration,
• wherein the second member being compressed downwardly relative to the first member is configured to apply a frictional force on the head portion of the shank positioned in the central bore of the first member and thereby hold an angular position of the shank relative to the first member in a locked configuration prior to securing the rod in the open channel with the closure, and
• wherein the top surface of the second member is located below a top surface of the rod when the rod is positioned within the open channel of the first member.