Key takeaways
- The consent form is the one document to understand fully; ask for English or a professional translation before signing.
- Colombian reports often say artrosis for osteoarthritis and infiltración for an injection.
- Your discharge summary is the epicrisis, and signos de alarma lists the warning signs that need care.
- Watch false friends: constipado means a cold, incapacidad is a sick-leave note.
On this page
Most clinics in Medellín and Bogotá that treat international patients have English-speaking coordinators, and many physicians speak good English. But your consent form, your lab results, your discharge papers and the nurse who checks your blood pressure may all be in Spanish. Knowing the key terms helps you follow what is happening, ask better questions and spot anything that does not match what you were told.
This glossary is organized by the stage of your trip: consultation, consent, lab and product documents, the procedure day, and discharge. Each table gives the Spanish term, the English meaning, and when you are likely to hear or see it. It is a reading aid, not a replacement for a medical interpreter. For anything that affects a decision, ask for a professional translation or an interpreter.
How to use this glossary
- Colombian Spanish is generally clear and fairly formal in medical settings. Doctors and nurses will usually address you as usted (the formal "you").
- Many terms look like English. Words like inflamación (inflammation) or infección (infection) are easy. The ones to watch are the false friends, covered near the end.
- Abbreviations differ. Spanish documents often use different abbreviations from English ones, so ask when you are unsure.
- Bring this to your consult. Keep it on your phone, but ask the doctor to confirm anything important in English as well.
Consultation and medical history
You'll hear these in your first visit, and see them on intake forms.
| Spanish | English | When you'll hear it |
|---|---|---|
| consulta | consultation, appointment | Booking and first visit |
| historia clínica | medical record, medical history | Intake forms; the official clinical record in Colombia |
| antecedentes | prior medical history | Intake: "antecedentes personales" (your own history), "antecedentes familiares" (family history) |
| alergias | allergies | Intake and before any medication |
| medicamentos que toma | medications you take | Intake and pre-procedure review |
| anticoagulantes | blood thinners | Medication review before injection |
| diagnóstico | diagnosis | Consult and on every document |
| artrosis | osteoarthritis | Very common in Colombian reports; artritis often implies inflammatory arthritis |
| dolor | pain | Throughout; "¿Del 1 al 10, cuánto dolor tiene?" means rate your pain 1 to 10 |
| rodilla / cadera / hombro / tobillo / columna | knee / hip / shoulder / ankle / spine | Consult and imaging reports |
| resonancia magnética | MRI | Imaging review; often shortened to "resonancia" |
| radiografía | X-ray | Imaging review |
| ecografía | ultrasound | Imaging and injection guidance |
| candidato | candidate | "Usted es / no es candidato" means you are / are not a candidate |
Consent forms
The consent form is the document most worth understanding fully. If it is only in Spanish, ask for an English version or a professional translation before you sign. Our guide on what an informed consent form should tell you covers what should be in it.
| Spanish | English | When you'll see it |
|---|---|---|
| consentimiento informado | informed consent | Title of the consent document |
| procedimiento | procedure | Describes what will be done |
| riesgos | risks | Section listing possible risks |
| beneficios esperados | expected benefits | Watch for wording that overstates benefits |
| complicaciones | complications | Risk section |
| efectos adversos | adverse effects, side effects | Risk section |
| tratamiento experimental | experimental treatment | Should appear if the treatment is not an approved standard therapy |
| alternativas | alternatives | Section on other treatment options |
| revocar | to revoke, withdraw | Your right to withdraw consent |
| firma del paciente | patient's signature | Signature line |
| testigo | witness | Second signature line |
| no se garantizan resultados | results are not guaranteed | Standard disclaimer language |
If a consent form is in Spanish only and nobody offers to translate it, pause. Ask for an English version, a professional interpreter, or time to have it translated. A clinic that rushes this step is telling you something.
Labs, cells and product documents
These show up in pre-treatment blood work and in the paperwork for the cell product. They connect directly to the quality questions covered in our articles on certificates of analysis and sterility, endotoxin and mycoplasma testing.
| Spanish | English | When you'll see it |
|---|---|---|
| exámenes de laboratorio | lab tests | Pre-treatment screening |
| hemograma / cuadro hemático | complete blood count (CBC) | Pre-treatment labs |
| tiempos de coagulación | clotting times | Pre-procedure labs |
| células madre | stem cells | Everywhere |
| células madre mesenquimales | mesenchymal stem (stromal) cells | Product descriptions |
| autólogo / alogénico | autologous (your own) / allogeneic (donor) | Product descriptions and consent |
| médula ósea | bone marrow | Cell source |
| tejido adiposo | fat (adipose) tissue | Cell source |
| cordón umbilical / gelatina de Wharton | umbilical cord / Wharton's jelly | Donor cell source |
| plasma rico en plaquetas (PRP) | platelet-rich plasma | Often combined with cells |
| viabilidad celular | cell viability | Certificate of analysis |
| recuento celular / conteo celular | cell count | Certificate of analysis |
| esterilidad | sterility | Product testing |
| endotoxinas | endotoxins | Product testing |
| micoplasma | mycoplasma | Product testing |
| lote | batch, lot | Product label; ask for the lot number |
| pase | passage (cell culture) | Culture-expanded products |
| certificado de análisis | certificate of analysis | Product documentation |
Procedure day
| Spanish | English | When you'll hear it |
|---|---|---|
| en ayunas | fasting | Before sedation or a harvest; "venga en ayunas" means come without eating |
| sedación | sedation | Pre-procedure |
| anestesia local | local anesthetic | Before harvest or injection |
| extracción / aspirado de médula ósea | harvest / bone marrow aspiration | Autologous procedures |
| liposucción / lipoaspirado | liposuction / fat aspirate | Fat harvest |
| infiltración | injection (into a joint or tissue) | The main procedure; very common Colombian term |
| intraarticular | into the joint | Procedure note |
| endovenoso / intravenoso | intravenous (IV) | IV protocols |
| guiado por ecografía / por fluoroscopia | ultrasound-guided / fluoroscopy-guided | Procedure note; confirms image guidance |
| signos vitales | vital signs | Nurse checks |
| tensión arterial / presión arterial | blood pressure | Nurse checks; "tensión" is common in Colombia |
| ¿Le duele? | Does it hurt? | During and after the procedure |
Discharge papers and aftercare
Your discharge instructions matter most once you are home. Make sure you understand every line, and compare them against our aftercare guide and post-treatment flying and activity limits.
| Spanish | English | When you'll see it |
|---|---|---|
| epicrisis | discharge summary | The summary document you take home |
| alta / dar de alta | discharge / to discharge | "Le damos de alta" means you're being discharged |
| fórmula médica | prescription | Colombian term for a prescription |
| incapacidad | medical leave / sick note | Work-leave certificate (not "incapacity") |
| reposo relativo | light activity, relative rest | Activity instructions |
| no apoyar / apoyo parcial | no weight bearing / partial weight bearing | Leg and foot instructions |
| hielo / compresas frías | ice / cold packs | Swelling instructions |
| control | follow-up visit | "Cita de control" means follow-up appointment |
| signos de alarma | warning signs | The list of symptoms that need urgent care |
| fiebre / enrojecimiento / hinchazón | fever / redness / swelling | Warning signs list |
| urgencias | emergency department | Where to go if warning signs appear |
False friends and tricky terms
A few words look like English but mean something different. These are the ones most likely to trip up patients.
- Constipado usually means you have a cold or congestion, not constipation. Constipation is estreñimiento.
- Embarazada means pregnant, not embarrassed. You may be asked "¿Está embarazada?" on intake.
- Incapacidad is a sick-leave certificate, not a statement that you are incapable.
- Control on a discharge sheet means a follow-up visit.
- Artritis vs artrosis. Colombian reports often say artrosis for osteoarthritis. Artritis can point to inflammatory arthritis, so ask if it is unclear.
- Infiltración is the everyday word for an injection into a joint or tissue, not an infiltration in the medical-alarm sense.
Paisas (people from the Medellín region) are generally warm and patient with foreigners trying Spanish. A simple "¿Me lo puede explicar en inglés, por favor?" ("Can you explain it to me in English, please?") is perfectly polite and usually gets you someone who can.
A few phrases worth memorizing
- "Tengo alergia a…" I'm allergic to…
- "Tomo anticoagulantes." I take blood thinners.
- "¿Puede repetir más despacio?" Can you repeat that more slowly?
- "¿Me da una copia en inglés?" Can you give me a copy in English?
- "Necesito un intérprete." I need an interpreter.
For broader terms used in regenerative medicine, see our orthobiologics glossary. If you'd like help reviewing documents from a Colombian clinic before you sign or travel, reach out.
Frequently asked questions
Do stem cell clinics in Colombia provide documents in English?
Many clinics that treat international patients do, but not always for every document. Ask before you travel, especially for the consent form, product certificate and discharge summary.
What is an epicrisis?
It is the Colombian term for a discharge summary: a written record of your diagnosis, what was done and your instructions. Bring it home for your US doctor.
What does infiltración mean on my procedure note?
In Colombian medical Spanish it generally means an injection into a joint, tendon or soft tissue. It is the everyday term for the procedure many stem cell patients receive.
Is this glossary enough to sign a consent form?
No. It is a reading aid. For any document that affects your treatment decisions, ask for an English version, a professional translation, or a medical interpreter.
How do I ask for an interpreter in Spanish?
Say “Necesito un intérprete, por favor.” Most clinics serving international patients can arrange English support if you ask.
Want a straight answer on whether you're a candidate?
Send your imaging and history. We'll help you understand your options and connect you with vetted Colombian clinics — no pressure, no obligation.
Request a free consultation →This article is general education, not medical advice. Every case is different — talk to a licensed physician who has reviewed your history and imaging before making treatment decisions.