Abstract: A surgical instrument is provided for use during laparoscopic surgical procedures, such as gall bladder removal operations. The instrument includes an elongated shaft, with a short, wedge-shaped blade extending at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. A handle is positioned at the opposite end of the shaft, from the blade. The blade is configured to be inserted into and through a surgical sheath, to be able to perform incisions in a patient's abdomen, by upward pulling motions on the instrument, while the handle remains outside the patient.