Surgical instrument

A method of operating a rinsing device for a surgical instrument, comprising the steps of:

• filling an internal rinsing-liquid container having an elastic wall with a rinsing liquid;
• delivering a pressurized inert gas from a gas-delivery device via a conduit to an external rinsing-liquid container inside of which is the internal rinsing-liquid container;
• placing the rinsing liquid under a rinsing pressure by the pressurized inert gas by the action of the gas directly upon the elastic wall of the internal rinsing-liquid container;
• regulating at least one of a pressure and a volume flow of the inert gas;
• and
• switching at least one of the pressure and the volume flow of the inert gas between a first value for supplying the inert gas to a tissue-treatment region and a second value for supplying the inert gas to produce the rinsing pressure.