The Colombia Care Blog
Evidence-based insights on stem cell therapy, regenerative medicine, and medical tourism in Medellín.
Must-read articles.
Explore our research.
Rotator cuff surgery vs stem cells: what does the evidence show?
What the 15-year surgery trial found, what shoulder stem cell studies actually show, the re-tear problem, and who may be a candidate for an injection instead of a repair.
Stem cells vs cortisone shots for knee arthritis: what does the evidence show?
What the largest head-to-head trial found, how long steroid relief lasts, the cartilage concern with repeated shots, and who may be a candidate for a cell injection.
Stem cells vs hip replacement: what does the evidence show?
How long modern hip implants last, what the hip stem cell studies actually show, who may be a candidate for cell therapy, and when a replacement is the better choice.
Can stem cells regrow cartilage? What MRI and arthroscopy studies show
What imaging, arthroscopy and biopsy findings from clinical trials actually show about cartilage repair after stem cell injections, why pain relief and regrowth are different questions, and who should not expect regrowth.
Are stem cell injections safe? What the side-effect research shows
What the safety reviews of stem cell trials found for joint injections and IV infusions, which side effects to expect, where the serious published harms came from, and who should not have treatment.
Stem cells vs PRP for knee arthritis: which has better evidence?
What the placebo-controlled PRP trial, the head-to-head bone marrow concentrate vs PRP trials and the network meta-analyses actually found, why "stem cells" means three different things, and who should try which first.
What happens to your cells in the lab? Processing, viability and lab standards
Isolation, culture expansion, ISCT characterization and post-thaw release testing — what actually happens between collection and infusion, and the documentation a clinic should hand over without being pushed.
Stem cells vs knee replacement: what does the evidence actually show?
What the randomized knee replacement trial and 25-year registry data really show, where one in five patients end up dissatisfied, what the MSC trials found for moderate osteoarthritis, and when replacement is clearly the right answer.
Disc surgery vs stem cells: what does the evidence actually show?
What the SPORT trial and the fusion meta-analyses really found, what the randomized intradiscal MSC studies show over 36 months, where the research is genuinely weak, and when surgery is clearly the right answer.
12 questions to ask a stem cell clinic before you book
The due-diligence checklist that separates a regulated clinic from a hype machine: cell source, dose, characterization, regulation, evidence, and the red flags that should end the conversation.
Stem cell therapy for tendinopathy: what the evidence actually shows
Chronic tennis elbow, Achilles or patellar tendon pain that won't heal? What the research supports, who's a candidate, who isn't, and realistic Medellín pricing.
Stem cells for avascular necrosis of the hip: what the evidence shows
Which ARCO stages respond, what the randomized trials actually found (including the negative one), who qualifies, and when a hip replacement is the better path.
Stem cell therapy for hip osteoarthritis: an honest 2026 look
Which radiographic grades respond, what the imaging must show, realistic outcomes, when a hip replacement is the better call, and 2026 Medellín pricing.
Stem cell therapy for shoulder & rotator cuff injuries
Which shoulder problems respond, which need surgery, what the MRI must show, realistic outcomes, and 2026 Medellín pricing.
What mesenchymal stem cell research actually shows in 2026
An honest, evidence-based read: where the trial data is strong, where it's preliminary, and how to tell a credible clinic from a hype machine.
Stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis: an honest 2026 look
Which Kellgren-Lawrence grades respond best, realistic outcomes by stage, and when surgery is still the right call.
Can stem cells delay knee replacement? The case for (and limits of) regenerative orthopedics
Where stem cell therapy may help some patients improve joint function and, in some cases, delay surgery, and when joint replacement is still the right call.
What really happens during an IV stem cell infusion
A step-by-step walkthrough of the infusion process, what to expect, and how the therapy works.
Stem cell therapy for herniated discs: what regenerative injections can and can't do
What the early research shows about stem cell injections for disc pain, who may benefit, and when surgery is still the better option.
How stem cells fight chronic pain at the cellular level
The proposed biological mechanisms behind stem cell therapy for chronic pain, and what the still-developing evidence shows.
Hair restoration with exosomes: what the science shows
What early studies show about exosomes and stem cell therapies for thinning hair, and why results vary.
Facial rejuvenation with stem cells: collagen, glow, and realistic results
How stem cell–derived treatments may support collagen production and skin quality, and what the limited evidence shows.
INVIMA explained: how Colombia regulates regenerative medicine
Colombia's regulatory framework and quality standards for stem cell therapy.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy alongside stem cell treatment: what we know
Why some clinics pair hyperbaric oxygen with stem cell protocols, and how limited the evidence for combining them still is.
Men's vitality and stem cells: testosterone, energy, and what the evidence says
What the early research does and doesn't show about stem cell therapy for hormonal health and energy in men.
Have questions about regenerative medicine?
Our team is ready to answer your questions and help you explore whether stem cell therapy is right for you.