An Unusual Case of chest wall Glomus Tumor presenting with axillary pain: a case report and literature review

Abstract Background: Glomus tumor is an uncommon soft tissue tumor. However, as the tumor causes significant disability, its early diagnosis is essential. It involves subungual areas of fingers and toes in most cases, and its extra-digital involvement is rarely seen. To the best of the authors' knowledge, only a few chest wall involvement cases have been reported in the literature. Case presentation: In this paper, we describe a 63-year-old patient with a chest wall glomus tumor presented with axillary paroxysmal pain and limitation in his shoulder range of motion that had been missed for nearly 15 years. His symptoms were relieved immediately following surgical excision.Conclusion: Glomus tumors may involve any part of the human body. It is curable with surgical excision in most cases. Therefore, a correct early diagnosis has paramount importance. A high index of suspicion is needed for early diagnosis, especially when the tumor involves uncommon anatomic areas.

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An unusual case of chest wall glomus tumor presenting with axillary pain: a case report and literature review

European Journal of Medical Research ◽

10.1186/s40001-021-00518-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Leila Oryadi Zanjani ◽

Bahman Shafiee Nia ◽

Farzad Vosoughi ◽

Elham Mirzaian ◽

Leila Aghaghazvini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Early Diagnosis ◽

Chest Wall ◽

Glomus Tumor ◽

Surgical Excision ◽

Case Presentation ◽

Glomus Tumors ◽

Shoulder Range Of Motion ◽

Significant Disability ◽

High Index Of Suspicion ◽

Shoulder Range

Abstract Background Glomus tumor is an uncommon soft tissue tumor. However, as the tumor causes significant disability, its early diagnosis is essential. It involves subungual areas of fingers and toes in most cases, and its extra-digital involvement is rarely seen. To the best of the authors' knowledge, only a few chest wall involvement cases have been reported in the literature. Case presentation In this paper, we describe a 63-year-old patient with a chest wall glomus tumor presenting with axillary paroxysmal pain and limitation in his shoulder range of motion that had been missed for nearly 15 years. His symptoms were relieved immediately following surgical excision. Conclusion Glomus tumors may involve any part of the human body. It is curable with surgical excision in most cases. Therefore, a correct early diagnosis has paramount importance. A high index of suspicion is needed for early diagnosis, especially when the tumor involves uncommon anatomic areas.

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Sub-ungual Glomus Tumor: Study of 20 Cases

Faridpur Medical College Journal ◽

10.3329/fmcj.v12i2.34230 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 64-67

Author(s):

Md Maiyeen Uddin ◽

Swapan Kumar Biswas ◽

Md Habibur Rahman ◽

Narayan Chandra Karmakar ◽

Md Masudur Rahman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Early Diagnosis ◽

Glomus Tumor ◽

Surgical Excision ◽

Soft Tissue Tumors ◽

Resonance Imaging ◽

Glomus Tumors ◽

Long Period ◽

Tumor Study ◽

Lancinating Pain ◽

Glomus Body

Glomus tumors are benign hamartoma of glomus body. It accounts 1-5% of all soft tissue tumors of hand. They can cause recurrent episodes of intense lancinating pain and disability. Patients often undergo undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for many years because the tumors are small. Twenty patients were operated during the period of 2010 to 2015. Most of the cases were selected on the basis of clinical diagnosis. The help of magnetic resonance imaging was taken in suspicious cases. The only treatment of glomus tumor is total surgical excision. In this study surgical excision were performed by direct trans-ungual approach. All patients showed dramatic relief of pain after surgical excision. Early diagnosis and surgical excision decreases patient's sufferings from severe pain and disability. Eagerness in early diagnosis and surgical excision can reduce long period of sufferings.Faridpur Med. Coll. J. Jul 2017;12(2): 64-67

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Digital Glomus Tumor: Bibliographic Review of the Studies Published over the Past 10 Years

Revista Iberoamericana de Cirugía de la Mano ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1730392 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 49 (01) ◽

pp. 046-055

Author(s):

Victoria Hernández ◽

Tania Lena ◽

Eliana Camacho ◽

Matías Craviotto

Keyword(s):

Glomus Tumor ◽

Case Reports ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Benign Neoplasm ◽

Surgical Excision ◽

Soft Tissue Tumors ◽

Glomus Tumors ◽

The Past ◽

Pubmed Search ◽

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Mri

AbstractGlomus tumors are a mostly benign neoplasm that constitutes less than 4% of upper-limb soft-tissue tumors. Its unspecific clinical presentation, added to its low frequency, leads to a late diagnosis.The objective of the present study is to update the clinical-paraclinical approach and the surgical technique used in the treatment.We carried out a literature review from 2014 to 2019 on digital glomus tumor in the hand in adult patients using the PubMed search engine.In most of the publications analyzed, the diagnosis was clinical, with a delay of 1 to 10 years. Plain radiography is the most requested study; of the 16 articles reporting its indication, only half evidenced compatible changes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was requested in 15 articles, presenting normal results in 3 of them. The treatment of choice was surgical excision using a transungual approach. Only 4 articles report recurrence after excision.Although there is diversity in the approach to these tumors, we conclude that the diagnosis is clinical, and the treatment surgical, and there is no consensus regarding the paraclinical indication. The information available comes mainly from case reports, publications that contribute to the generation of evidence for the clinical practice in rare diseases such as this one.

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Intravascular Glomus Tumor of the Forearm Causing Chronic Pain and Focal Tenderness

Case Reports in Orthopedics ◽

10.1155/2014/619490 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sang Ki Lee ◽

Dae Geon Song ◽

Won Sik Choy

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Glomus Tumor ◽

Rare Condition ◽

Surgical Excision ◽

Vascular Tumor ◽

Glomus Tumors ◽

Contrast Magnetic Resonance ◽

History Of ◽

Subcutaneous Layer ◽

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Mri

Introduction. A glomus tumor is a benign vascular tumor derived from glomus cells and occurs mainly in the subcutaneous layer of the subungual or digital pulp. Extradigital glomus tumors have been reported within the palm, wrist, forearm, foot, bone, stomach, colon, cervix, and mesentery. Glomus tumors can originate from the intraosseous, intramuscular, periosteal, intravascular, and intraneural layers. However, a glomus tumor originating from the intravascular layer of the forearm is a rare condition.Case Report. A 44-year-old woman had a 7-year history of chronic pain and focal tenderness of the forearm. No hypersensitivity or sensory alterations were observed. Contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a mass measuring 5 × 3 × 2 mm leading to a vein. Surgical excision was performed, and the tumor was completely resected. Finding of gross examination revealed a dark-red, well-defined soft tissue tumor, and histologic examination confirmed that the mass was a glomus tumor. The patient’s symptoms were completely resolved postoperatively.Conclusion. Intravascular glomus tumors rarely occur in the forearm; therefore, a thorough physical exam, comprehensive medical history, in-depth imaging, and early surgical excision upon clinical suspicion may be helpful to prevent a delayed or incorrect diagnosis.

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Short-Scar Surgical Approach for the Treatment of Glomus Tumor of the Digit

Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery ◽

10.2310/7750.2010.09083 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 21-28

Author(s):

Emanuele Cigna ◽

Francesca Palumbo ◽

Liliana De Santo ◽

Andrea Edoardo Zampieri ◽

Giuseppe Soda

Keyword(s):

Surgical Approach ◽

Glomus Tumor ◽

Benign Neoplasm ◽

Surgical Excision ◽

Radical Resection ◽

Surgical Approaches ◽

Complete Regression ◽

Recurrence Rates ◽

Glomus Tumors ◽

Short Scar

Background: A glomus tumor is a biologically benign neoplasm. The traditional surgical approach to treat this tumor boasts the lowest recurrence rates but may cause nail deformities. Objective: A short-scar surgical approach was applied, with the aim of preserving the aesthetics of the nail. Methods: Between January 1999 and January 2009, 25 patients who underwent surgery for a glomus tumor were included in the study. All patients underwent radical resection with three different surgical approaches based on the location of the tumor. Results: All patients who were operated on had complete regression of pain immediately after surgery and at postsurgery follow-ups. Conclusion: The treatment of glomus tumors consists of surgical excision, which is successful if properly executed. Excision of sensitive afferent nervous fibers is a prerequisite to achieve regression of pain. A short-scar surgical approach ensures complete eradication of the tumor and preservation of nail aesthetics.

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Glomus Tumor on the Volar Aspect of the Distal Phalanx, an Unusual Presentation for an Unusual Neoplasm‎: A Case Report

Journal of Orthopedic and Spine Trauma ◽

10.18502/jost.v4i2.2961 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sam Hajialiloo-Sami ◽

Amir Mohsen Khorrami ◽

Sajad Noori

Keyword(s):

Glomus Tumor ◽

Ring Finger ◽

Surgical Excision ◽

Distal Phalanx ◽

Cold Sensitivity ◽

Diagnostic Features ◽

Glomus Tumors ◽

Delay In Diagnosis ◽

Volar Aspect ◽

Histologic Evaluation

Background: In the fingertips, the glomus tumors usually involve the subungual areas with typical triad symptoms including pain, tenderness to palpation, and cold sensitivity. The glomus tumor of volar aspect of digits is rare. Case Presentation: A case of glomus tumor was presented at the volar side of the distal phalanx of the ring finger of a 52-year-old woman. The tumor was painful and tender to palpation, yet insensitive to cold. The atypical location and insensitivity to cold led to a 4-year delay in diagnosis. After the surgical excision of the lesion, the extracted mass was sent for histologic evaluation and the diagnosis of glomus tumor was confirmed. One-year follow-up of the patient was event-free. Conclusions: Atypical glomus tumor should be considered in the differential diagnosis of finger pain, even in the absence of characteristic diagnostic features.

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Lower Extremity Glomus Tumors: Comprehensive Review for Surgeons

Vascular ◽

10.2310/6670.2008.00064 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 16 (6) ◽

pp. 326-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Leon R. Luis ◽

Goshima R. Kaoru ◽

Psalms B. Shemuel ◽

Joseph L. Mills

Keyword(s):

Lower Extremity ◽

Glomus Tumor ◽

Symptomatic Relief ◽

Delayed Diagnosis ◽

Surgical Excision ◽

Disease Entity ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Comprehensive Review ◽

Glomus Tumors ◽

Diagnosis And Management

The diagnosis of a lower extremity glomus tumor (GT) is often delayed owing to the lack of awareness and low level of suspicion by the treating physician. GT is thought to arise from cutaneous arteriovenous connections, often involving the nail beds. The unusual location of the lower extremity often leads to missed or delayed diagnosis and management. Surgical excision of GT is often curative and provides significant symptomatic relief. There is a paucity of information in regard to GT in general, especially among vascular surgeons. The aim of this report is to make the surgical community more aware of this disease entity based on the analysis of our own experience and review of the literature.

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Unusual Glomus Tumor of the Penis

Current Urology ◽

10.1159/000442864 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 113-118 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Gautam Dagur ◽

Kelly Warren ◽

Yimei Miao ◽

Navjot Singh ◽

Yiji Suh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Presentation ◽

Spindle Cell ◽

Glomus Tumor ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Surgical Excision ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Glomus Tumors ◽

Clinical Presentations ◽

Epithelial Lesions

Introduction: Glomus tumors are benign neoplasms commonly found in subungual regions of the extremities and rarely located in the penis. Misdiagnosis of glomus tumors is common; therefore, symptoms and clinical presentations should be reviewed. Objective: The primary objective of this review article is to emphasize the pathogenesis, pathology, clinical presentation, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment methods of glomus tumors in order to better identify and manage the condition. Materials and Methods: Research was conducted using PubMed/Medline. The inclusion criteria required glomus tumor to be present on the penis. Results: Glomus tumors, which appear as symptomatic or asymptomatic lesions, are attributed to dispersion grouping of neoplastic or non-neoplastic lesions in a particular area. Conclusion: Differential diagnosis of glomus tumors includes hemangiomas, neurofibromatosis, epithelial lesions, and spindle-cell lesions. Physical examination and histological findings should be used for diagnosis. Treatment options can be either conservative or invasive, in which the patient undergoes surgical excision.

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Levetiracetam in management of bilateral trigeminal neuralgia due to large glomus tumor case report

Cephalalgia Reports ◽

10.1177/25158163211042389 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 251581632110423

Author(s):

Billie Hsieh ◽

Barlas Benkli ◽

George N Ansoanuur ◽

Eliana E Bonfante-Mejia ◽

Shaun O Smart

Keyword(s):

Trigeminal Neuralgia ◽

Trigeminal Nerve ◽

Glomus Tumor ◽

Symptom Burden ◽

Mass Effect ◽

Contralateral Side ◽

Benign Tumors ◽

Case Presentation ◽

Glomus Tumors ◽

Cranial Fossa

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia can be classical or idiopathic. While trigeminal neuralgia (TN) due to space-occupying lesions is atypical, such lesions rarely cause severe TN secondary to trigeminal nerve irritation. Mass effect from these lesions has been shown to correlate with symptom burden, due to direct or indirect compressive effects. A tethering effect, provoked by an abnormal root-stretching force, theoretically plays a role in trigeminal nerve hyperexcitability. Case: The likely etiology in this case presentation is a large glomus tumor invading the middle and posterior cranial fossa. Glomus tumors are uncommon benign tumors of the head and neck derived from neural crest cells. Even more strikingly, a large glomus tumor causes bilateral TN due to direct compression on one side and indirect compression on the contralateral side. Conclusion: Although the gold standard in TN management is carbamazepine, other anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) have been used in the treatment of patients unable to take carbamazepine. A few studies suggest levetiracetam alleviates central and neuropathic pain, supporting the hypothesis that it may be effective in management of TN.

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