A new procedure is helping people with emphysema breathe better – without surgery

MILWAUKEE — About two years ago, John McLees' lungs had become so badly damaged that he could barely get from one side of his small condo to the other without feeling like he'd just finished an intense workout.

McLees, of Germantown, was born with a genetic condition called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, which increases his risk of developing lung and liver disease.