Common Stock Warrants, Shares

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Maximum Payment To Lender Based On Receipt Of Proceeds From Eligible Events

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	clbs_DebtInstrumentMaximumPaymentToLenderBasedOnReceiptOfProceedsFromEligibleEvents
Namespace Prefix:	clbs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Payment To Lender Based On Receipt Of Proceeds From Eligible Events, Percent

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Subsidiary, Ownership Interest by Parent

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount billed to customers under long-term contracts or programs but not paid. Excludes amounts due that have been withheld because of retainage provisions in a contract.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 910
-SubTopic 310
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51673017&loc=d3e49354-109356

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsReceivableBilledForLongTermContractsOrPrograms
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Exercise price per share or per unit of warrants or rights outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceOfWarrantsOrRights1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total number of common shares of an entity that have been sold or granted to shareholders (includes common shares that were issued, repurchased and remain in the treasury). These shares represent capital invested by the firm's shareholders and owners, and may be all or only a portion of the number of shares authorized. Shares issued include shares outstanding and shares held in the treasury.

+ 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_CommonStockSharesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow from issuance of rights to purchase common shares at predetermined price (usually issued together with corporate debt).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3255-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Financing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfWarrants
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Minimum amount of purchase arrangement in which the entity has agreed to expend funds to procure goods or services from a supplier.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PurchaseObligation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the recorded obligation to transfer funds in the future for fixed or minimum amounts or quantities of goods or services at fixed or minimum prices (for example, as in take-or-pay contracts or throughput contracts).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 440
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394976&loc=d3e25383-109308

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow during the period from the repayment of aggregate short-term and long-term debt. Excludes payment of capital lease obligations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RepaymentsOfDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Price of a single share of a number of saleable stocks of a company.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Maximum number of units that may be acquired, in connection with an unconditional purchase obligation that has not been recognized for financial reporting purposes.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationMaximumQuantity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=clbs_PctAllendaleLlcMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAxis=clbs_OxfordFinanceLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=clbs_HitachiChemicalCo.LTDMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Subsequent Events (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 10, 2016	Feb. 29, 2016	Dec. 31, 2014	May. 08, 2014
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Common stock, shares, issued (shares)					5,329,593
Common Stock Warrants, Shares				3,550,956
Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Common stock, shares, issued (shares)		1,400,000
Subsidiary, Ownership Interest by Parent	80.10%
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	19.90%
Contract Receivable	$ 5.6
Common Stock Warrants, Shares		1,400,000
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights		$ 1.00
Share Price		$ 0.705	$ 1.00
Proceeds from Issuance of Warrants	1.0
PCT Allendale, LLC [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Purchase Obligation	4.4
Oxford Finance LLC [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Repayments of debt	$ 7.0
Debt Instrument, Payment To Lender Based On Receipt Of Proceeds From Eligible Events, Percent	20.00%
Debt Instrument, Maximum Payment To Lender Based On Receipt Of Proceeds From Eligible Events	$ 3.0
Hitachi Chemical Co., LTD [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation	$ 19.4
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Maximum Quantity	15.0