The invention relates to a surgical cutting instrument for insertion into a cutting trocar sleeve comprising an essentially tubular housing shank, a distal section adapted to be inserted in the trocar sleeve and joined with the housing shank, said distal section having a cutting means and actuating means for the said distal section at a proximal end of the housing shank, the distal section being constituted by a plurality of elements articulatingly joined together, which elements are able to be shifted between a position aligned with the housing shank and an arcuately laterally extended position.