A glomus tumor is a rare benign tumor of the hand. It
constitutes 1–5% of the soft-tissue tumors in the hand. It
arises from the glomus body which is a neuromyoarterial
apparatus described by P. Masson in 1924. The normal glomus body
is an arteriovenous shunt that is composed of an afferent
arteriole, an anastomotic vessel (Sucquet-Hoyer canal), a
collecting vein, and a capsular portion. It resides in the
stratum reticulum of the skin. There are large numbers in the
subungual region and in the distal pad of the digits. The glomus
body is a controlled arteriovenous anastomosis or shunt between
the terminal vessels thought to be important in regulating
peripheral blood flow in the digits, which secondarily controls
peripheral blood pressure and body temperature. (photo credit)
Glomus tumors affect women two to three times more often than
men. Most are in the 30-50 year age group. Most occur in the
subungual area (approximately 50%), but can occur on the finger
tip pulp, the palm, wrist, forearm and foot. Glomus