Patent ID: 7229456

Claim:
Medical instrument for dissecting tissue in the human or animal body, comprising: a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, said shaft having at least one bend between said distal and said proximal end; at least one movable tool disposed at said distal end of said shaft; at least one movable grip element disposed at said proximal end of said shaft; a reciprocal force transmission element for transmitting thrust or pull forces, and having a distal end and a proximal end and extending along said shaft and, further, being axially movable relative to said shaft, said proximal end of said reciprocal force transmission element being operatively interconnected to said at least one movable grip element and said distal end of said reciprocal force transmission element being operatively interconnected to said at least one movable tool for transmitting a force from said at least one movable grip to said at least one movable tool, wherein said reciprocal force transmission element is configured, at least in the region of said bend, as a flexible tubular element conforming to the bend, which is guided in contact with said shaft, and wherein said tubular element is configured as a helical spring with closely wound windings.