A method of dispensing
surgical fasteners includes providing an applicator instrument having a housing with a
cartridge opening, an elongated shaft extending from the housing, a firing
system disposed within the housing for dispensing
surgical fasteners, and an
actuator for activating the firing
system. The method includes forming a surgical opening in tissue, inserting a distal end of the elongated shaft into the surgical opening, inserting a
cartridge containing a plurality of first
surgical fasteners into the
cartridge opening, and engaging the
actuator for dispensing one of the first surgical fasteners from the distal end of the elongated shaft. While maintaining the distal end of the elongated shaft inside the surgical opening, the cartridge is removed from the cartridge opening, a second cartridge containing a plurality of second surgical fasteners is inserted into the cartridge opening, and the
actuator is engaged for dispensing one of the second surgical fasteners from the distal end of the elongated shaft.