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St. Luke's Children's Spina Bifida Clinic

Located within the Children’s Pavilion in downtown Boise, the St. Luke’s Children’s Spina Bifida Clinic brings together experts in physiatry, neurosurgery, psychology, urology, orthopedics, gastroenterology, and rehabilitation to help children with spina bifida and their families. Our family-centered approach to collaborative care has your child’s best interest as our highest priority. We also help young adults with spina bifida transition from a pediatric to adult care team.

We see patients on the first Tuesday of every month.

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If you have a medical emergency, do not use online scheduling. Call 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency department. If you require immediate assistance for a non-emergency condition, please contact the clinic directly by phone.

Providers

  • W. Bruce Cherny, MD

    Pediatric Neurosurgery

    Biography

    Bruce Cherny, MD began his practice as an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Arkansas Children's Hospital. He spent eight years in academic neurosurgery, both in Arkansas and at the Barrow Institute in Phoenix, before coming to Boise to develop the pediatric neurosurgical program for Idaho. Dr. Cherny also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford University. 

    Dr. Cherny is one of 570 top neurosurgeons on the list of U.S. News & World Report's Top Doctors. These physicians were selected based on a peer nomination process. Within this list of the best neurosurgeons, 217 have been named to a highly selective list of America's Top Doctors (ATD) by achieving national recognition for outstanding work.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
  • ""

    Mitzi M. Cieslak, NP

    Biography

    Mitzi Cieslak, NP-C is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She has special interest in all aspects of pediatric care. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Seattle University and her master’s degree in nursing, family nurse practitioner, from Gonzaga University.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
    • St. Luke's Health Partner
      St. Luke's Health Partner

      These providers work together to achieve patient-centered care, using proven best practices to offer better care to you and your family.

      see full profile
  • Erin Conlee, MD

    Erin M. Conlee, MD

    Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine

    Biography

    Erin M. Conlee, MD specializes in the rehabilitation and management of children with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neuromuscular disorders, and an array of musculoskeletal conditions. She has a particular interest in oncology-related impairments and conditions. 

    Dr. Conlee works to maximize quality of life and restore optimal functioning to patients through working with a multidisciplinary team of therapists and ancillary providers. She is passionate about caring for children and young adults, striving to meet needs across a variety of conditions and health care settings.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients

  • Samantha S. Cragg, MD

    Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine

    Biography

    Samantha Cragg, MD specializes in the rehabilitation and management of children with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neuromuscular disorders, and an array of musculoskeletal conditions. She has a particular interest in neuromuscular impairments and conditions and serves as director of St. Luke's Children's Muscular Dystrophy Clinic.

    Dr. Cragg works to maximize quality of life and restore optimal functioning to patients through working with a multidisciplinary team of therapists and ancillary providers. She is passionate about caring for children and young adults, striving to meet needs across a variety of conditions and health care settings.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients

  • Michele B. Ebbers, MD

    Pediatric Urology

    Biography

    Michele Ebbers, MD specializes in all aspects of pediatric urology including hypospadias, undescended testicles, hydronephrosis, UTIs, voiding dysfunction, and spina bifida. She has special interest in reconstructive surgery and minimally invasive surgery. She takes special pride in getting to know her patients and their families, in order to provide individualized care and treatment options.

    Dr. Ebbers completed her pediatric urology fellowship at University of California at San Francisco, and has been practicing exclusively in pediatric urology in a variety of settings since then. She is board certified in both urology and pediatric urology. She currently serves as medical director of St. Luke's Children's Urology.

    SURGICAL SPECIALTIES

    • Robotic partial nephrectomy
    • Robotic nephrectomy
    • Robotic uretero-ureterostomy
    • Robotic pyeloplasty
    • Robotic ureteral reimplantation
    • Ureteral reimplantation
    • Deflux
    • Hypospadias repair
    • Bladder augmentation
    • MACE

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
    • St. Luke's Health Partner
      St. Luke's Health Partner

      These providers work together to achieve patient-centered care, using proven best practices to offer better care to you and your family.

      see full profile

    • Specialties, Conditions & Treatments

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  • Kara N. Saperston, MD

    Pediatric Urology

    Biography

    Kara Saperston, MD is a board certified, fellowship trained pediatric urologist with expertise in minimally invasive and robotic surgery and the management of complex congenital anomalies and pediatric cancers of the kidneys, bladder, and external genitalia. She helped start the St. Luke's Children's Bowel and Bladder Clinic and will be helping initiate a multispecialty clinic to treat children born with complex genital anatomy. Her interests include treatment of hypospadias, urogenital sinus, posterior urethral valves, vesicoureteral reflux, undescended testicles, neurogenic bladder, bladder exstrophy, repair of a urogenital sinus, and urinary incontinence.

    Dr. Saperston has a passion for patient care and initially worked in Boise as a general urologist with an interest in pediatric urology. She recently extended her training by completing a fellowship in pediatric urology at the University of California, San Francisco, so that she could care for pediatric patients exclusively.

    SURGICAL SPECIALTIES

    • Robotic partial nephrectomy
    • Robotic nephrectomy
    • Robotic uretero-ureterostomy
    • Robotic pyeloplasty
    • Robotic ureteral reimplantation
    • Ureteral reimplantation
    • Deflux
    • Hypospadias repair
    • Vaginoplasty/clitoroplasty
    • Bladder augmentation
    • MACE
    • Laparoscopic MACE

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
    • St. Luke's Health Partner
      St. Luke's Health Partner

      These providers work together to achieve patient-centered care, using proven best practices to offer better care to you and your family.

      see full profile

    • Specialties, Conditions & Treatments

      See Less See More

  • Larry D. Showalter, MD

    Pediatric Orthopedics

    Biography

    Larry "Buzz" Showalter, MD is trained in all facets of children's orthopedic care including trauma, complex upper and lower extremity deformity, and neuromuscular and other developmental disorders. He is a member of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
  • ""

    Cass R. Smith, MD

    Pediatric Gastroenterology

    Availability

    Accepting new patients

  • Jill Steinmetz, PT

    Physical Therapy

    Biography

    Jill Steinmetz, MPT specializes in acute care pediatric physical therapy, including both in-patient and home care settings. She also works with children with cancer diagnoses, and serves on a multi-disciplinary team at a monthly spina bifida clinic. She currently serves as the clinical program coordinator for pediatric rehabilitation.

    Jill earned her bachelor's degree in exercise and sport science from the University of Wyoming, and her master's in physical therapy from the University of North Dakota. In her free time, she enjoys playing sports, hiking, mountain biking, and volunteering.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
  • Alexander Zouros, MD

    Alexander Zouros, MD

    Pediatric Neurosurgery

    Biography

    Alexander Zouros, MD is board certified in pediatric and adult neurosurgery (ABPNS and ABNS) and is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He developed an interest in childhood brain and spine surgery in medical school, and has extensive research experience in pediatric spine trauma and instrumentation and has taught courses in complex brain endoscopy. He completed a fellowship at the Children's Medical Center of Dallas and has served as an associate professor at Loma Linda University. Dr. Zouros was also the residency program director at Loma Linda, training residents and medical students in neurological surgery and his pediatric subspecialty.

    Dr. Zouros has volunteered on medical missions to the Middle East, bringing specialized pediatric neurosurgical services and cranio-facial reconstructive surgeries to underprivileged children.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
    • St. Luke's Health Partner
      St. Luke's Health Partner

      These providers work together to achieve patient-centered care, using proven best practices to offer better care to you and your family.

      see full profile

    • Specialties, Conditions & Treatments

      See Less See More

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Because when you take care of yourself, everyone around you benefits.

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