The instrument comprises a jaw arrangement with two jaws that have, on their side facing the counter-electrode arrangement, rounded or flat electrode surfaces. The counter-electrode arrangement comprises at least one counter-electrode surface that may be rounded or flat. One of the electrode surfaces has a band edge preferably bordered by an insulator on one side, said band edge being adjacent to the adjacent electrode surface of the jaw arrangement. The counter-electrode surface has a band edge adjacent to the insulator facing the band edge of the one electrode surface. The band edges of the electrode surfaces acting as the coagulation surfaces are close enough such that they form cutting edges that develop a cutting effect with low voltages that are otherwise suitable only for coagulation. Accordingly, it is possible to provide fusion instruments that are extremely delicate, display lower thermal inertia and an excellent fusion and cutting effect.
