Gas-operated surgical instrument

Surgical instrument operated by pressurized gas, comprising:

• two tool elements, at least one of the two tool elements comprising a movable tool element,
• a pressurized gas connection for connecting the instrument to a source of pressurized gas,
• a working piston for moving the movable tool element and adapted to be acted upon by the pressurized gas,
• an actuating element for actuating the instrument, and
• a regulating device coupled to the actuating element and to the working piston for regulating a feed force of the working piston,
• wherein:
• the regulating device is configured such that for feed forces below a predetermined limit force it defines a first piston work area in which the working piston is movable in a distal direction solely owing to a first feed force that can be is applied with the actuating element,
• above the limit force the regulating device defines a second piston work area in which the working piston is movable in the distal direction by being acted upon by pressurized gas, and
• the movable tool element is movable over a maximum displacement path as a result of movement of the working piston in the first piston work area as a result of the first feed force, provided the predetermined limit force is not exceeded.