Patent ID: 7695482

Claim:
A method for occluding a vessel comprising the steps of: making an incision in a patient; inserting an access device into the incision; inserting a clip applier into the access device, the applier having a distal end and at least one ligating clip and defining a longitudinal axis, the at least one ligating clip having a pair of distally extending ligation arms biased to clampingly engage each other and defining a pivot axis extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the clip applier, the clip being in a first position of a plurality of positions; actuating an actuation mechanism located on or in the applier to cause the ligation arms of the ligating clip to rotate about the pivot axis to a second position of the plurality of positions, the ligating arms in the second clip position being of a span greater than a diameter of the clip applier; positioning the ligating clip around the vessel; and actuating the actuation mechanism located on the applier to cause the ligating clip to biasedly rotate about the pivot axis to a third position of the plurality of positions thereby clampingly engaging and occluding the vessel, wherein the applier further includes opposed first and second inserts disposed along at least a portion of the inside of the elongate tube, at least one of the inserts extending beyond the distal end of the applier and restraining the ligating clip in the second position.