Glomus tumors of the hand. Presentation of fourteen cases.

The authors report a series of fourteen patients with a glomus tumor in the hand. The major symptoms were excruciating spontaneous pain upon mechanical and thermal stimulation of the tumor. In subungual tumors, a blue discoloration is suggestive of diagnosis; but this was found in only 50 percent of cases. The difficult in correct diagnosis and therefore for complete removal is due to in the location of the tumor. Recurrence may occur in cases of incompletely removed tumor. In three cases, the tumor was submitted to electron microscopic examination which led to a better comprehension of the histogenesis of these tumors.