Clip retention for surgical clip applier

A method of applying a surgical clip to a tissue, the method comprising:

• manipulating a first jaw and a second jaw disposed at a distal end of an elongate shaft of a clip applier to position the tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw, wherein each of the first and the second jaws has opposed inward-facing surfaces with respective clip guide channels and at least one deflectable clip retention member disposed in at least one of the respective clip guide channels;
• advancing a plurality of clips toward the distal end of the elongate shaft, the elongate shaft having the first jaw and the second jaw movable between open and closed positions, the advancing including positioning a distal-most clip of the plurality of clips between opposed inward-facing surfaces of the first and second jaws;
• positioning tissue between the first and second jaws and actuating the clip applier to move the first jaw and the second jaw from an open position to a closed position, thereby deforming the distal-most clip positioned between the first jaw and the second jaw;
• guiding legs of the distal-most clip along the respective clip guide channels formed along the opposed inward-facing surfaces of the first jaw and the second jaw as the distal-most clip is advanced into the first and second jaws;
• applying, via the at least one deflectable clip retention member, a biasing force to at least one leg of the distal-most clip while the distal-most clip is disposed within the first and second jaws to thereby retain the distal-most clip therein, the biasing force being applied in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane extending through the first and second jaws;
• and
• retaining the distal-most clip within the first jaw and the second jaw using the biasing force until the first jaw and the second jaw are closed to deform the distal-most clip about the tissue.

A method for applying a surgical clip to tissue, comprising:

• positioning a surgical clip applier such that an elongate shaft having first and second jaws at a distal end is oriented with the first and second jaws adjacent to a target tissue, the first and second jaws being movable between open and closed positions;
• operating a clip advancing assembly extending through the elongate shaft to advance a plurality of clips toward the distal end and into the first and second jaws;
• guiding a distal-most clip along opposed inward-facing surfaces of the first and second jaws, each inward-facing surface including a clip guide channel configured to receive and guide respective legs of the distal-most clip;
• advancing the distal-most clip past at least one deflectable tab within each clip guide channel, wherein the at least one deflectable tab engages a proximal surface of the distal-most clip after the clip advances past the at least one deflectable tab to inhibit proximal movement of the distal-most clip, thereby locating the proximal surface of the distal-most clip proximate to knees of legs of the distal-most clip when positioned within the first and second jaws;
• and
• closing the first and second jaws to deform the distal-most clip around the tissue.

A method of applying a surgical clip to a tissue, the method comprising:

• engaging, at a distal end of a surgical clip applier having an elongate shaft, a tissue between first and second jaws, wherein the first and second jaws are movable;
• advancing a plurality of clips distally toward the first and second jaws, wherein the plurality of clips are advanced via a clip advancing assembly extending through the elongate shaft;
• advancing a distal-most clip into a clip track associated with inward-facing surfaces of the first and second jaws, wherein the clip track is for receiving and guiding the distal-most clip, wherein the distal-most clip is advanced such that at least one clip retention member, having first and second ends and disposed within the clip track, moves from an uncompressed configuration to a compressed configuration;
• and
• maintaining the first and second ends of the at least one clip retention member in contact with the clip track when in the uncompressed configuration.