Glomus tumor-induced lower extremity pain: A case report

INTRODUCTION: Glomus tumor located in the lower limb could be easily mistaken as lower extremity pain whether it is radiating, sciatic, or just a localized one. This could lead to misdiagnosis and improper management. PRESENTATION OF CASE: This case reported a 56-year-old man complaining of pain in his left thigh. The pain was characterized as sharp and sometimes radiated to the skin of the calf muscles region. There was no history of trauma. Physical examination of the left thigh region revealed a small and barely palpable deep subcutaneous mass. Ultrasound examination showed a 6 × 5.3 mm partly cystic subcutaneous mass in the posteromedial region of the left distal femur. Doppler USG showed that the blood flow in the cystic lesion originated from the medial genicular artery. Surgical tumor excision through the medial femoral approach exposed a 15 × 10 × 5 mm yellowish-white thin encapsulated subdermal tumor attached to the vascular wall. Histopathology examination resulted in a Glomus Tumor. DISCUSSION: Glomus tumor usually occurs in areas that are rich in glomus bodies. Thigh is not a specific location for glomus bodies. It presented as bluish small nodule that are sensitive to touch and temperature changes. Glomus tumors in the thigh region rarely recurs since they are solitary and encapsulated, making them easily recognizable from the surrounding tissue during the operation. CONCLUSION: Meticulous history taking, physical examination, and imaging modalities are necessary to differentiate between tumor and non-tumor lesions in less common areas.