laser lung surgery

I was doing my online school at my fiance's bike shop and a customer walked in and said "you have to excuse me, I just had laser surgery on my lungs for bronchitis." Anyone heard about this? I was dying of curiousity but didn't want to ask a million questions!! I have asthma and get bronchitis frequently. He said he had 1 lung collapse and another start to, I felt terrible for the poor guy!!

[Victoireh]

I imagine that the laser would be used to reduce scar tissue from lung damage due to repeat bronchial infections. Too much scar tissue will narrow the airways, and as a result make breathing harder to get the same amount of oxygen in. Also airway damage perpetuates more infections, which in turn causes more damage. This type of treatment sounds experimental yet. Lasers are used in many diseases now and also as a cosmetic treatment for skin conditions or just plain aging.