How Clips Work
A tubal clip is a small spring-loaded device, usually made of titanium with a silicone lining, that a surgeon places across each fallopian tube during laparoscopy. The clip compresses the tube shut, permanently blocking it, without cutting or removing tissue. Because so little tissue is damaged, clips leave more of the tube intact than cautery-based methods — a factor that can matter if reversal is ever considered.
How Rings Work
A tubal ring (sometimes called a Falope ring) is a small silicone band. The surgeon draws a loop of the fallopian tube through the ring using a special applicator, and the band constricts around the base of the loop, cutting off blood flow to that segment over time and closing the tube.
Advantages
Both methods are quick to place, don't rely on heat or electricity (reducing the small risk of thermal injury to nearby tissue), and are considered easier to reverse than electrocautery, if reversal is ever pursued — though reversal is never guaranteed and both should be chosen with the intent of permanence.
Considerations
Clips and rings require a small amount of extra space to maneuver the device, so they're used somewhat less often immediately postpartum, when the tube may be more delicate. They also carry a very small risk of the device causing tissue irritation in some patients.