A flexible surgical instrument (10) is provided which is ideal for providing flexibility in surgery performed through a small incision, such as arthroscopic/endoscopic surgery. In one embodiment, the surgical instrument (10) is provided with an outer member (14) having at least one opening in a distal region (20), and a hollow inner member (16) disposed within the outer member (14) for transmitting force applied to the proximal end (18) to move a cutting implement (22) disposed at the distal end (20). The cutting implement (22) is constructed and adapted to perform a cutting function at the opening in the outer member (14). The hollow inner member (16) is substantially flexible between its proximal and distal ends (18, 20). The outer member (14) is provided with a predetermined flexibility and rigidity, such that the outer member (14) is provided with sufficient flexibility to be manually bent by a surgeon during an operation, and provided with sufficient rigidity to retain such bend during the continued performance of the operation with the surgical instrument.Instrument chirurgical souple (10) qui apporte de la souplesse dans des interventions chirurgicales effectuées par une petite incision, telles que les interventions arthroscopiques et endoscopiques. Dans un mode de réalisation, ledit instrument chirurgical (10) est doté dun élément externe (14) ayant au moins une ouverture dans une région distale (20) et dun élément interne creux (16) placé à lintérieur de lélément externe (14) et destiné à transmettre la force appliquée à lextrémité proximale (18) pour déplacer un accessoire coupant (22) placé à ladite extrémité distale (20). Ledit accessoire coupant (22) est conçu et adapté pour avoir une fonction de coupe au niveau de louverture dans lélément externe (14). Lélément interne creux (16) est essentiellement souple entre ses extrémités (18, 20) distale et proximale. Lélément externe (14) présente une souplesse et une rigidité prédéterminées, si bien quil possèd
