An Extradigital Glomus Tumor of the Median Antebrachial Vein

Glomus tumors are benign vascular neoplasms that arise from specialized dermal arteriovenous anastomoses called glomus bodies. These tumors are most often found in the digital pulp and subungual region of the fingertips; however, a review of the literature suggests that extradigital glomus tumors may occur more often than is generally recognized. Although most extradigital glomus tumors arise within subcutaneous tissues, glomus tumors have occasionally been found within bones, nerves, and blood vessels. An intravascular glomus tumor of the forearm is a very rare occurrence and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. Here we describe a 55-year-old right-handed man with a 10-year history of exquisite tenderness and dysesthesia of his right proximal forearm. Surgical exploration revealed the presence of a mass arising from the median antebrachial vein, which was confirmed histologically to be a glomus tumor.