A painless glomus tumor: a case report

BACKGROUND: Glomus tumor is a benign and vascular hamartoma that originates from the neuromyoarterial cells of the normal glomus apparatus in the reticular dermis. The etiology of glomus tumors is unknown. It usually presents as a small, slightly raised, bluish or pinkish-red, painful nodule of the fingertips and the pulp. we report an atypical case of a patient of painless glomus tumor. CASE PRESENTATION: Our patient, a 60-year-old Moroccan man, had a 2.5 cm purplish painless soft tumor, covered with melliciric and hemorrhagic crusts, involving the first phalanx of his right index finger. This tumor was compressing his nail plate. No bony lesions were identified by radiographic studies, but magnetic resonance imaging was suggestive of glomus tumor. Surgical excision was performed with directed healing. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of a glomus tumor is an eventuality even in the absence of pain.