A surgical instrument with a first contact element and a second contact element for spreading tissue, bone, or the like. The instrument has a stationary base part and a sliding part, which is arranged on the base part in a longitudinally movable manner. The first contact element is integrally molded on the distal end of the base part, and the second contact element is connected to the base part and to the sliding part via a first arm and to the base part via a second arm. The first arm is arranged on the second contact element via a first pivot axis, on the base part via a second pivot axis, and on the sliding part via a third pivot axis, and the second arm is arranged on the second contact element via a fourth pivot axis and on the first contact element via a fifth pivot axis.