A surgical cutting system has a rod cutting tool and a guide device. The rod cutting tool includes a housing containing a drive motor and a cutting element mounted on the housing connected with the drive motor. The guide device includes a guide body, an attachment mechanism for attaching the rod cutting tool to the guide body, an elongate body movably mounted on the guide body, a rod-clamping element operably mounted on the elongate body, to lockingly engage the rod during the spinal fusion surgery and position the cutting element adjacent the rod. The cutting system also includes an adjustment mechanism for moving the elongate body relative to the guide body thereby moving the cutting element to cut the rod.
