An apparatus for cutting and aspirating tissue from the human body or animal body, particularly for application in vitrectomies, for retinal detachment, etc., having an outer tube (1) and an inner tube (5) which can slide back and forth concentrically in the outer tube (1) with minimal play, wherein the outer tube (1) is closed on the free end (2) thereof, and has a lateral opening (3) near the free end (2), with at least one inner cutting edge (4), wherein the inner tube (5) is open on the free end and has an outer cutting edge (6) at that position, and wherein the cutting edges (4, 6) work together in a cutting manner when the inner tube (5) is displaced, characterized in that the inner tube (5) has at least one lateral opening (7) with at least one further outer cutting edge (8) near the free end.