Abstract: The bipolar coagulating instrument has an outer barrel whose distal end is provided with two halves of a first jaw member, said halves being angled relative to the longitudinal axis and being spaced apart from one another. An inner barrel is similarly provided with a second jaw member, which also has halves obliquely angled relative to the longitudinal axis and spaced apart from one another. The second jaw member is axially displaceable towards the first jaw member.At least one of the two jaw members has recesses which are connected to a distally open end of an irrigation passage in the inner barrel. A cutting forceps or the like can be passed through a channel in the inner barrel and through the gap between the two sets of jaw member halves.