Low profile surgical clip

A surgical spring clip, including:

• a first molded component having a first barrel with a first finger support and a first spring stop disposed on one side of the barrel and a first jaw disposed on an opposing side of the barrel;
• a second molded component comprising the only other additional molded component, and having a second barrel with a second finger support and a second spring stop disposed on one side of the second barrel and a second jaw disposed on an opposing side of the second barrel;
• the first barrel and the second barrel having a telescoping relationship and being moveable relative to each other between a first closed position and a second open position, at least one of the first barrel and the second barrel defining a housing;
• a spring having a cross-sectional shape and being disposed in the housing between the first spring stop and the second spring stop for biasing the first barrel and the second barrel toward the first closed position;
• and
• the first barrel and second barrel having a cross-sectional shape different than the cross-sectional shape of the spring.

A method for assembling a surgical spring clip, comprising the steps of:

• providing a first component having a first barrel, a first tab on one side of the first barrel and a first jaw on the opposite side of the first barrel;
• providing a second component having a second barrel, a second tab on one side of the second barrel and a second jaw on the opposite side of the second barrel;
• forming a window in the first component between a first wall and a second wall parallel to the first wall;
• moving the second jaw of the second component generally parallel to the first wall and the second wall of the first component, and into the window;
• and
• during the moving step tilting the second component relative to the first component to place the jaws in a generally parallel relationship;
• and
• installing a spring between the first component and the second component.