Glomus Tumors

Glomus tumor is a benign soft tissue neoplasm that develops from the glomus body and appears in the second to fourth decade of life. It accounts for 1-5 percent of all upper extremity soft tissue tumors. A glomus is a part of the skin’s dermis layer that aids in thermoregulation. The glomus body is an arterio-venous shunt surrounded by a connective tissue capsule that is abundant in the fingers and toes. During cold temperatures, the glomus body shunts blood away from the skin’s surface, preventing heat loss.