Selective laser suture lysis with a compact, low-cost, red diode laser.

The argon (blue-green) laser is currently used for vaporization of sutures during ophthalmic surgery. However, previous studies have reported more effective laser suture lysis and a lower rate of complications using the krypton (red) laser. Red wavelengths are selectively absorbed by the nylon sutures, but are minimally absorbed by adjacent tissue, and not absorbed by hemoglobin, unlike the argon laser wavelengths.