The invention relates to a medical instrument having a hollow shaft, a tool positioned on the distal end of the shaft consisting of a rigid jaw member and a jaw member that can rotate with respect to the rigid jaw member, as well as a handle positioned on the proximal end of the shaft. The tool and the handle are in active connection with one another by a push-pull rod mounted in the shaft, and the jaw members of the tool are mounted on one another by pins. It is proposed with the invention that the push-pull rod should be configured as a hollow slide tube mounted in the shaft so that it can slide axially and is in active connection with the rotatable jaw member by an actuation element that is essentially rod-shaped.