ESPP annual cap

No definition available.

Name:	clbs_ESPPannualcap
Namespace Prefix:	clbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Maximum Annual Contributions Per Employee, Percent

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	clbs_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanMaximumAnnualContributionsPerEmployeePercent
Namespace Prefix:	clbs_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

percentage of ESPP closing price

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	clbs_PercentageofESPPclosingprice
Namespace Prefix:	clbs_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

percentage of stock closing price

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	clbs_Percentageofstockclosingprice
Namespace Prefix:	clbs_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Shares Expired

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	clbs_SharesExpired
Namespace Prefix:	clbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The maximum number of common shares permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 30
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares of stock issued as of the balance sheet date, including shares that had been issued and were previously outstanding but which are now held in the treasury.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of shares issued which are neither cancelled nor held in the treasury.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharesOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	clbs_StockOptionsActivityAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=clbs_A2009EquityPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=clbs_NonUsEquityPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	clbs_StockOptionsActivityAxis=clbs_ESPPMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=clbs_A2015EquityPlanMemberMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=clbs_UsEquityPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=clbs_A2015EquityPlanMemberMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Shareholders' Equity Equity Plan (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Shareholders' Equity Equity Plan (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Oct. 10, 2012	Oct. 14, 2011	Jan. 18, 2011	Jun. 02, 2010	Oct. 29, 2009	May. 09, 2009
Stock Options [Member] \| 2009 Equity Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock, shares authorized (shares)	8,995,000	5,995,000	450,000	2,375,000	1,775,000	1,375,000	975,000	380,000
Stock Options [Member] \| Non US Equity Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock, shares authorized (shares)			570,000
ESPP [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock, shares authorized (shares)	500,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate	15.00%
ESPP annual cap	$ 25,000
percentage of stock closing price	85.00%
percentage of ESPP closing price	85.00%
Shares, Issued	133,939
Shares, Outstanding	300,620
2015 Equity Plan [Member] [Member] \| US Equity Plan [Member] \| Stock Options [Member] \| 2015 Equity Plan [Member] [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares Expired	0
Common stock, shares authorized (shares)	4,400,000