Apparatus for cutting surgical rod with: a surgical rod scorer, comprising: a handle having an elongated shaft extending therefrom defining a longitudinal axis; a knob supported on a proximal end of the handle, the knob movable about the longitudinal axis; an operable head disposed at a distal end of the shaft and configured to support at least one cutting element thereon, the operable head of the shaft having an opening configured for insertion of a surgical rod therethrough; a reciprocating member operably disposed and axially translatable within the handle and the shaft of the surgical rod scorer, the reciprocating member including a proximal end in mechanical communication with the knob and a distal end configured to support at least one cutting element thereon; and a drive member operably coupled to the proximal end of the reciprocating member and to the knob, wherein the surgical rod scorer is so configured that rotation of the knob about the longitudinal axis translates the reciprocating member including the at least one cutting element supported thereon from a retracted position, to an extended position for scoring the surgical rod inserted through the opening of the operable head of the shaft, and further comprising a plurality of cutting elements supported on each of the operable head of the shaft and the distal end of the reciprocating member, and a surgical rod bender configured to grasp the scored surgical rod on each side of the scored portion of the surgical rod. a surgical rod scorer, comprising: a handle having an elongated shaft extending therefrom defining a longitudinal axis; a knob supported on a proximal end of the handle, the knob movable about the longitudinal axis; an operable head disposed at a distal end of the shaft and configured to support at least one cutting element thereon, the operable head of the shaft having an opening configured for insertion of a surgical rod therethrough; a reciprocating member operably disposed and axially translatable within the handle and the shaft of the surgical rod scorer, the reciprocating member including a proximal end in mechanical communication with the knob and a distal end configured to support at least one cutting element thereon; and a drive member operably coupled to the proximal end of the reciprocating member and to the knob, wherein the surgical rod scorer is so configured that rotation of the knob about the longitudinal axis translates the reciprocating member including the at least one cutting element supported thereon from a retracted position, to an extended position for scoring the surgical rod inserted through the opening of the operable head of the shaft, and further comprising a plurality of cutting elements supported on each of the operable head of the shaft and the distal end of the reciprocating member, and a handle having an elongated shaft extending therefrom defining a longitudinal axis; a knob supported on a proximal end of the handle, the knob movable about the longitudinal axis; an operable head disposed at a distal end of the shaft and configured to support at least one cutting element thereon, the operable head of the shaft having an opening configured for insertion of a surgical rod therethrough; a reciprocating member operably disposed and axially translatable within the handle and the shaft of the surgical rod scorer, the reciprocating member including a proximal end in mechanical communication with the knob and a distal end configured to support at least one cutting element thereon; and a drive member operably coupled to the proximal end of the reciprocating member and to the knob, wherein the surgical rod scorer is so configured that rotation of the knob about the longitudinal axis translates the reciprocating member including the at least one cutting element supported thereon from a retracted position, to an extended position for scoring the surgical rod inserted through the opening of the operable head of the shaft, and further comprising a plurality of cutting elements supported on each of the operable head of the shaft and the distal end of the reciprocating member, and a surgical rod bender configured to grasp the scored surgical rod on each side of the scored portion of the surgical rod.