In an inventive tool (16) for the coagulation and dissection of biological tissue there is provided a counter-bearing (35) that has at least one recess (37) open toward the outside and/or one or more hollow chambers (63). The recess (37) or the hollow chamber (63) is configured in such a manner that the counter-bearing (35) when viewing an infinitesimally small cross-sectional segment generates a force/path elasticity characteristic curve with a plateau-like region II, V, during compression and reexpansion. On this plateau II, V, the counter-bearing (35) when viewing an idealized parallel contact of the counter-bearing and the cutting electrode preferably provides a force between 2 N and 4 N. The path section x in which the elasticity characteristic curve indicates the plateau II, IV preferably is as long as the tissue to be dissected is thick, and is, for example, in the range of 0.2 to 1.5 mm preferably, the thickness is 1 mm, particularly preferably 0.5 mm. As a result of this, it is achieved that the force exerted on the tissue during the cutting operation remains substantially constant in the effective work region. (Figure 2)
