Rod inserter and rod with reduced diameter end

A pedicle screw assembly comprising:

• a bone fastener having a lower end for engaging bone and an upper end remote from the lower end;
• a head having a rod-receiving channel attached to the upper end of said bone fastener;
• a spinal rod insertable into the rod-receiving channel of said head, said spinal rod having a cylindrical outer surface extending between first and second ends thereof, a curve between the first and second ends thereof and the cylindrical outer surface has at least one alignment marker for identifying an axis of curvature of said spinal rod,
• wherein at least one of the first and second ends has a continuous reduced-diameter outer surface throughout,
• wherein the continuous reduced-diameter outer surface defines a reduced-diameter that is less than a diameter of the cylindrical outer surface extending between the first and second ends, and
• wherein at least a portion of the continuous reduced-diameter outer surface is cylindrical.