A medical instrument with a shaft on whose distal end a tool is positioned and on whose proximal end a handle is positioned consisting of at least two gripping members, such that the tool can be actuated by a gripping member of the handle that is moveably configured and such that at least one gripping member of the handle consists of a rigid partial area and a pivotable partial area that can pivot around the rigid partial area. To create a medical instrument that is of simple structure and can be quickly and thoroughly cleaned, it is proposed with the invention that the pivotable partial area of the gripping member can be removably affixed to the rigid partial area of the gripping member by a catch mechanism.