Clip cartridge

1. A cartridge comprising:

a pair of side walls separated by a compartment, the compartment being configured to receive a surgical clip;

a base member supporting the pair of side walls, wherein the pair of side walls extend at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis of the base member, such that the cartridge retains the surgical clip at the acute angle; and

a pedestal extending between the pair of side walls and configured to support the surgical clip, wherein the pedestal is disposed at the acute angle relative to the vertical axis of the base member.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the pair of side walls are substantially parallel.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the acute angle is greater than 10°.

4. The cartridge of claim 3 , wherein the acute angle is about 20-30°.

5. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the side walls has a surface inclined at a surface angle toward the compartment, the surface angle being acute relative to a vertical axis of the at least one of the side walls.

6. The cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the surface angle is about 5-45° relative to the vertical axis of the at least one of the side walls.

7. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge has a plurality of side walls along a longitudinal axis of the base member, and a plurality of compartments, wherein each of the plurality of compartments is between respective adjacent side walls.

8. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the base member comprises a pair of longitudinal walls extending on opposing sides of the compartment.

9. A cartridge comprising:

a pair of side walls separated by a compartment, the compartment being configured to receive a surgical clip;

a base member supporting the pair of side walls, wherein the pair of side walls extend at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis of the base member, such that the cartridge retains the surgical clip at the acute angle; and

a pair of rails extending longitudinally along the base member, wherein the pair of rails have a sawtooth configuration with inclined segments at the acute angle.

10. The cartridge of claim 9 , wherein the pair of side walls are substantially parallel.

11. The cartridge of claim 9 , wherein the acute angle is greater than 10°.

12. The cartridge of claim 11 , wherein the acute angle is about 20-30°.

13. The cartridge of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the side walls has a surface inclined at a surface angle toward the compartment, the surface angle being acute relative to a vertical axis of the at least one of the side walls.

14. The cartridge of claim 13 , wherein the surface angle is about 5-45° relative to the vertical axis of the at least one of the side walls.

15. The cartridge of claim 9 , wherein the base member comprises a pair of longitudinal walls extending on opposing sides of the compartment.

16. A cartridge comprising:

a pair of side walls separated by a compartment, the compartment being configured to receive a surgical clip;

a base member supporting the pair of side walls, wherein the pair of side walls extend at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis of the base member, such that the cartridge retains the surgical clip at the acute angle; and

a retainer configured to retain the surgical clip in the compartment, the retainer including a pair of fingers configured to contact the surgical clip, wherein the pair of fingers are oriented at the acute angle;

wherein the retainer further comprises a pair of longitudinal portions supporting the pair of fingers, wherein the longitudinal portions have a sawtooth configuration with inclined segments at the acute angle.

17. The cartridge of claim 16 , wherein a pair of rails receive the pair of longitudinal portions of the retainer.

18. The cartridge of claim 16 , wherein the pair of side walls are substantially parallel.

19. The cartridge of claim 16 , wherein the acute angle is greater than 10°.

20. The cartridge of claim 19 , wherein the acute angle is about 20-30°.

21. The cartridge of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the side walls has a surface inclined at a surface angle toward the compartment, the surface angle being acute relative to a vertical axis of the at least one of the side walls.

22. The cartridge of claim 21 , wherein the surface angle is about 5-45° relative to the vertical axis of the at least one of the side walls.

23. The cartridge of claim 16 , wherein the base member comprises a pair of longitudinal walls extending on opposing sides of the compartment.

24. A cartridge comprising:

a cartridge body including:

a pair of side walls separated by a compartment, the compartment being configured to receive a surgical clip,

a base member supporting the pair of side walls,

a pedestal extending between the pair of side walls and configured to support the surgical clip, and

a pair of rails extending longitudinally along the base member; and

a retainer including a pair of fingers configured to contact the surgical clip, the retainer comprising a pair of longitudinal portions disposed on the pair of rails,

wherein the pair of side walls and the pedestal extend at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis of the base member, such that the cartridge retains the surgical clip at the acute angle.

25. The cartridge of claim 24 , wherein the pair of side walls are substantially parallel.

26. The cartridge of claim 24 , wherein the acute angle is greater than 10°.

27. The cartridge of claim 26 , wherein the acute angle is about 20-30°.

28. The cartridge of claim 24 , wherein the pair of rails have a sawtooth configuration with inclined segments at the acute angle.

29. The cartridge of claim 24 , wherein the pair of fingers are oriented at the acute angle.

30. The cartridge of claim 24 , wherein the longitudinal portions have a sawtooth configuration having inclined segments at the acute angle.