A device for cauterising tissue is arranged to be mounted to a biopsy andor sampling instrument and includes a conductive cauterising portion and means for heating the cauterising portion. The heating arrangement comprises heating elements, in particular electrodes that are arranged on the melt tank in the zone of the melt bath, as well as an agitating arrangement for stirring of the melt bath and uniform intermixing and sub-mixing into the melt of material from the mixture lying on the melt surface. Should such a need be detected, the timer value is set to avalue deviating from the initial value.