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. More compact and less expensive red diode lasers have recently become commercially available for surgical applications. This study explores the use of a compact, low-power, red diode laser for selective laser suture lysis. A 225 mW, 660-nm diode laser was used to vaporize 10-0 nylon sutures in human cornea samples with a single laser pulse, pulse energy of 150 mJ, pulse duration of 100 ms, and spot diameter of 55 μm. The red diode laser may represent an inexpensive, compact, and safer alternative laser for use in laser suture lysis during ophthalmic surgery.